Hervey Bay’s Kyle Ken Sorensen sentenced for assaulting police

A man, who claimed he could hear divine voices when he assaulted police, went on to commit an unspeakable act at a memorial honouring fallen officers. *Warning: Distressing content

A man was in the grips of a drug-induced psychosis when he attacked four police officers, claiming the “voice of God” was telling him cops were paedophiles who wanted to kill him.

He then spat on a memorial for fallen officers, declaring the ‘only good pig is a dead pig’.

Disturbing details about the events which unfolded in the police watch-house were detailed in Hervey Bay District Court.

There, Kyle Ken Sorensen pleaded guilty to numerous charges, including four counts of serious assault police and dangerous driving.

The court heard the offending started when the 26-year-old was spotted driving into Hervey Bay on his motorcycle by police on March 3 last year.

He was known to them as an unlicensed driver.

The officers followed him and saw Sorensen overtake and drive through a red light.

The police decided against pursuing Sorensen because of the nature of his driving and later caught up with Sorensen at his grandmother’s home.

But when the officers attempted to arrest him, Sorensen punched one of the officers in the face.

Kyle Ken Sorensen pleaded guilty to numerous charges, including four counts of serious assault police and dangerous driving when he faced Hervey Bay District Court this week.

After being taken to the police watch-house, Sorensen began head butting the wall and police feared for his well being.

They attempted to move him to a padded cell, but Sorensen reacted violently.

He punched two of the officers before biting the finger of another who had him in a headlock.

Capsicum spray was used to subdue him and he was taken to hospital.

As they passed a memorial for fallen police officers, Sorensen spat on it and said the offensive words.

When he was receiving treatment, Sorensen said he believed he could hear the voice of God and that the world was ending.

Sorensen was said to have a strong work history and been working in the mines.

He had been consuming large amounts of cannabis prior to the offences, sometimes smoking up to 12 ‘cones’ a day.

That had contributed to the breakdown of Sorensen’s mental health and his episode of psychosis, the court was told.

He was ‘serious’ about rehabilitating and was attending Bridges for regular sessions after getting treatment in the wake of his psychotic episode.

The court heard Sorensen was committed to staying clean.

Judge Nathan Jarro said given Sorensen was employed and seeking treatment, he did not see that sending him back to jail, where he had already spent 37 days in presentence custody, would be helpful.

Sorensen was sentenced to 15 months in prison, with the sentence suspended immediately with an operational period of two years.

The 37 days he spent behind bars was declared as time served.

He was also placed on two years’ probation.

“You must be squeaky clean for the next two years,” Judge Jarro said.

Originally published as Hervey Bay’s Kyle Ken Sorensen sentenced for assaulting police