Jaymee Lye Ahwang sentenced for serious assault of police causing bodily harm

When police were called to help a woman who appeared “drug-affected” and wandering into the street their efforts landed them in hospital.

When police were called to help a woman who appeared “drug-affected” wandering into the street, two officers were sprayed in the eyes with a mystery chemical as she tried to escape custody.

A Mackay mum has pleaded guilty to serious assault of a police officer causing bodily harm after she sprayed two in the eyes with a mystery chemical.

Mackay District Court heard police were called on July 10, 2023 to attend to Jaymee Lye Ahwang, who callers described as “drug-affected” and dangerously stepping out onto Slade Point Road.

Crown prosecutor Stephanie Gallagher said when the two officers arrived and decided to detain Ahwang, she attempted to flee into a property and squirted them both in the eyes with a spray bottle.

“In effect, the police were following her to make sure she was okay,” Ms Gallagher said.

“She picked up a bottle that had some chemicals in it, we don’t know what they were, but it had a strong chemical odour, and she sprayed the bottle a number of times towards the police and it hit both of them in the eyes.”

Police were called on July 10, 2023 to attend to Jaymee Lye Ahwang, who callers described as ‘drug-affected’ and dangerously stepping out onto Slade Point Road.

Ms Gallagher said the officers went to Mackay Base Hospital to have their eyes irrigated, with victim impact statements noting irritation and blurred vision for several days after.

The court heard Ahwang had little criminal history but the offending was “plainly” the most serious.

Defence barrister Scott McLennan said Ahwang had a “highly prejudicial” upbringing and had been “trying to get away” from the officers, but it was not her intention to spray them in the eyes.

“She’s very sorry for what she did, and she understands that they were trying to help her,” he said.

“She wasn’t deliberately trying to spray them in the eyes but trying to keep them at bay.”

Judge Terry Gardiner said the offending had an “opportunistic” character, and accepted Ahwang’s early pleas of guilty.

“It always amazes me when people come to court and plead guilty to assaulting police that if they were in trouble the first people, they would ring is the police,” Judge Gardiner said.

“Police have a hard job to do in the community.

“It’s often onerous but it’s also often dangerous and the courts need to protect the police.”

Ahwang was sentenced to five months imprisonment, suspended for six months with convictions recorded.

Originally published as Jaymee Lye Ahwang sentenced for serious assault of police causing bodily harm