Raina Jane Cruise jailed for assaulting SA Police officer as Court of Appeal overturns suspended sentence

An anti-vaxxer who scalped a pregnant police officer during a fight in the city has been thrown into jail after the state’s top court sided with prosecutors.

Anti-vax would-be political candidate Raina Jane Cruise has been jailed for scalping a pregnant SA Police officer and assaulting two security guards at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Monday, and in front of a packed public gallery, the Court of Appeal overturned Cruise’s controversial suspended sentence and ordered she be taken into custody immediately.

In an unanimous decision, the court ruled she should serve three years, nine months and two weeks behind bars for her crimes with a two-year non-parole period.

The court further fined her $500 because her crimes breached a previously-imposed suspended sentence for similar offending.

Raina Jane Cruise was sentenced ti three years, nine months and two weeks behind bars – with a non-parole period of two years. Picture: Sean Fewster

Constable Anthea Beck outside court. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Cruise, who sat in the dock with her hands clasped, turned toward her supporters and raised her eyebrows after the judgment.

“See you darling, love you, keep the plants watered, and the dogs,” she told one of them.

Cruise, 39, was found guilty at trial of intentionally causing harm to Constable Anthea Beck on Rundle St in 2021.

That trial found she had kicked and punched Constable Beck, who was pregnant at the time, and torn chunks of hair from her head.

Cruise’s three-year sentence was suspended on condition of a three-year, $1000 bond and 100 hours of community service.

She challenged both her conviction and sentence, arguing Constable Beck lacked “reasonable suspicion” any offence had been committed and did not “announce” Cruise was under arrest.

That, she argued, made her arrest unlawful.

Prosecutors urged the court to reject those claims, saying Constable Beck’s actions were lawful.

Cruise’s sentence, they said, was so low that it “impacted public confidence in the administration of justice” and had “shocked the public consciousnesses”.

In its judgment on Monday, the Court of Appeal dismissed Cruise’s challenge to her conviction but permitted the prosecution application, saying the original sentence should be set aside.

It resentenced Cruise to three years and three months’ jail for intentionally causing harm to Constable Beck.

Injuries sustained by SA Police Constable Anthea Beck, allegedly inflicted by Raina Jane Cruise. Picture: District Court registry

It further sentenced her to nine months and two weeks’ jail for her two earlier assaults on hotel security staff in the minutes prior to the assault upon Constable Beck.

Those sentences were reduced from 10-month terms on account of Cruise’s guilty pleas to those charges.

The court said Cruise’s offending was too serious to warrant suspension of the sentences and ordered they commence immediately.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens told The Advertiser he welcomed the decision.

“The fresh sentence has reinforced the view the suspended sentence initially given to Cruise was not in line with community standards,” he said

“Cruise was found guilty of a violent and sustained attack on a female officer. Today’s decision reflects the seriousness of her conduct.”

Jack Batty, opposition police spokesman, said: “Any coward who attacks a police officer like this, should be thrown into jail where they belong”.

Attorney-General Kyam Maher also welcomed the court’s decision, and said it “sends a very, very clear message” about the seriousness of assaults on police.

“Police officers put their lives on the line to keep our community safe,” he told The Advertiser.

“We have no tolerance for those who seek to harm police, or any emergency service worker. “Today’s decision is an important reminder – if you assault a police officer, you’ll face serious jail time.”

Originally published as Raina Jane Cruise jailed for assaulting SA Police officer as Court of Appeal overturns suspended sentence