Boyd Elliott Tass in Mackay court over watch-house faeces, wilful damage

After trying to stop a woman from leaving his home and having his foot run over in the process, a Qld man’s week, and that of police officers forced to deal with him, got a whole lot worse.

Boyd Elliott Tass’ previous criminal record including 22 previous breaches of a domestic violence order, six previous willful damage police property, 25 previous assault police officer, 13 previous obstruct police, three serious assaults, four previous serious assaults of a police officer and a serious assault of a corrective officer.

After having his foot run over, one Mackay man spent days in the watch-house where he assaulted officers with pillows covered in poo.

Boyd Elliott Tass, 48, called police following a confrontation with a woman who he’d tried to stop from leaving his home.

When he prevented her from leaving by standing first behind and then in front of her car, she ran over his foot, Mackay Magistrates Court heard.

Tass’ defence lawyer Phil Moore said his client called the police because he claimed the way he was spoken to “was abusive and extremely aggressive” and he wanted the police to come and witness what he had to “endure”.

Tass damaged the driver side door handle in the confrontation and was charged with wilful damage and another offence before he was transported to the Mackay watch-house where he was later charged with three counts of serious assault of police officer, four counts wilful damage of police property and two counts obstruction of police and watch-house officers.

The woman is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said “a series of unfortunate events spiralled” once he was taken into custody.

The court heard on August 3 Tass defecated in his cell, throwing his own faeces at the walls and the cell’s camera.

A police officer and watch-house officer became concerned for his mental health when they saw this and Tass was lying down with a shirt tied around his neck.

The court heard Tass defecated in his prison cell and threw his own poo at the walls and cell’s camera.

The court heard when they entered the cell to clean the camera Tass resisted, thrashing and threatened to find where they lived and burn their homes to the ground.

“I’m going to find out where you live c**t,” Tass said.

“I’m going to put a bullet in you c**t.”

On August 5 when police again entered the cell Tass threw a pillow, covered with urine and faeces, at the two.

The first throw resulted in faeces being thrown on one of the officer’s glasses and the second caused urine to be sprayed in the other officer's face.

The final assault came when Tass attempted to use the pillow as a shield to protect himself from being tasered and resulted in faeces and urine getting onto an officer’s leg.

Ms Hartigan asked Tass how he would like it if he had to clean human waste from the walls which he said he had done while in a correctional centre.

“It wasn’t nice,” Tass said.

Ms Hartigan said it was disgusting and “in some respects it’s more disgusting than spitting on someone”.
“There is a toilet in every watch house cell, and you are expected to use it,” she said.

“You are not expected to poo on the floor like a dog.”

Mr Moore said he had a prejudicial childhood and was diagnosed with an anti-social disorder, which led to his mental health declining significantly in custody.

He said, despite his previous offending, Tass had significant periods of his life where he was able to work jobs, raise children and even recently live in a stable environment.
“His prejudicial upbringing likely contributed to his poor decision making,” Mr Moore said.

Tass was visibly shaking and crying as he appeared in Mackay Magistrates Court via video link.

Ms Hartigan read Tass’ previous criminal record of six previous wilful damages of police property, 25 previous assaults of a police officer, 13 previous counts of obstructing police, three serious assaults, four previous serious assaults of a police officer and a serious assault of a corrective services officer.

She took into account that Tass hadn’t intended for his bodily fluids to be flung at police, but said this was a foreseeable consequence, which Tass accepted.

“You have to change,” she said.

“That’s the card you’ve been dealt; you have to turn it around otherwise you’ll go back in jail.”

Tass, who was on parole at the time of offending, pleaded guilty to all charges.

He was sentenced to another 18 months in jail with a parole eligibility date set for December 6.

Despite the damage he incurred to watch-house property and the cost of decontaminating the cell, Ms Hartigan did not order Tass to pay restitution as “you’ve got no money”.

“Good luck when you get out,” she said.

“I really hope I don’t see you again.”
Tass told Ms Hartigan he hoped so as well.

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Originally published as Boyd Elliott Tass in Mackay court over watch-house faeces, wilful damage