Shaneen Joyce Skerman pleaded guilty to assaulting, obstructing police

A “heavily intoxicated” mum sparked a flurry of triple-0 calls by screaming at strangers and “crawling through the bushes” near a playground. But her most disturbing acts were still to come. *Graphic.

Shaneen Joyce Skerman pleaded guilty to public nuisance, assaulting police, obstructing police and wilful damage of police property when she faced Maryborough Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

A mum who did a poo in the back of a police car then smeared it over a window, later clawed an officer with her nails and told him she had HIV, a court has heard.

Shaneen Joyce Skerman, 51, pleaded guilty in Maryborough Magistrates Court on Tuesday to public nuisance, assaulting police, obstructing police and wilful damage of police property.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Sonia Edwards said about 4pm on September 30, 2023, police received numerous calls regarding a heavily intoxicated woman.

The callers said the woman was crawling through bushes near a playground and was yelling and abusing people walking by.

“There was further information she had fallen into the gutter after rolling on the grass and then reported to be running in front of traffic,” Sgt Edwards said.

“There were several members of the public trying to assist her and she was very incoherent at the time.”

Sgt Edwards said when police arrived, Skerman’s behaviour was erratic, and she refused to speak to paramedics who were also there to help.

Skerman was arrested due to her behaviour, Sgt Edwards said.

While she was being taken to the watch-house, Skerman removed her pants and defecated in the police pod, Sgt Edwards told the court, explaining she had positioned herself on her knees with her buttocks facing the cabin of the vehicle and had “rubbed her buttocks against the wall”, smearing faeces across the pod.

Skerman then put some faeces on her hands and “wilfully painted the acrylic window separating the police pod from the cabin”, Sgt Edwards said.

Maryborough Courthouse. Photo: Valerie Horton/ Fraser Coast Chronicle.

“Basically, that required special cleaning of that pod,” she said.

On August 6, 2024, Skerman was placed under arrest in relation to another matter, Sgt Edwards said.

At the time she was also erratic, “either with drugs or alcohol”.

When she was placed under arrest she continued to argue and wouldn’t follow instructions, obstructed police, swearing at them and repeatedly calling one officer a “f—khead”.

She twisted and turned when officers were trying to do a pat-down search.

Skerman told one of the officers she had HIV before digging several nails into the officer’s hands, piercing his skin, causing bleeding and redness, Sgt Edwards said.

Duty lawyer Morgan Harris said Skerman’s mental state since the time of the offence had significantly improved.

He said she was now working at a restaurant both in the kitchen and as wait staff.

At the time Skerman had been homeless, Mr Harris said, and had been living out of her car.

She’d also had undiagnosed mental health conditions, Mr Harris said, but was now being treated for a general anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Skerman’s daughter was present to support her through her court appearance.

Mr Harris said Skerman was no longer homeless and was intent on turning her life around.

Magistrate John Milburn said he was told and accepted Skerman had taken better stock of her life.

He said she was sure she was very disappointed by her own behaviour at the time of the offending.

Skerman was sentenced to 12 months on probation and a conviction was recorded.

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Originally published as Shaneen Joyce Skerman pleaded guilty to assaulting, obstructing police