BLAST FOR POLICE
Court’s dim view of officers who taser mate of dying balcony fall victim
A MAGISTRATE has slammed police for mishandling and “deteriorating” a volatile situation after a fatal fall from a balcony at Broadbeach.
Jeffrey Andrew Willis was tasered while paramedics worked to try to save the life of his best mate Noah Fellows, who had fallen three storeys from a balcony on December 8 last year.
It was the actions of police towards Willis which drew the ire of Magistrate Kay Philipson yesterday after shocking body-worn camera footage of the incident was played to the court.
A MAGISTRATE slammed police for mishandling and “deteriorating” a volatile situation after a fatal fall from a balcony at Broadbeach.
Jeffrey Andrew Willis was tasered while paramedics worked to try to save the life of his best mate Noah Fellows, who had fallen three storeys from a balcony on December 8 last year.
Willis pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday to hindering an ambulance officer and public nuisance.
Mr Fellows never recovered from his injuries and died when his life support was turned off in May.
The father had locked himself out of his unit and was attempting to climb the Anne Ave complex and enter through his balcony.
It was the actions of police towards Willis which drew the ire of Magistrate Kay Philipson yesterday after shocking body-worn camera footage of the incident was played to the court.
“I accept the obstruct or hinder the ambulance officers was because of your heightened emotional state, in circumstances where, prior to the police arriving, you had permission to be where you were located,” she told Willis.
“The whole situation deteriorated very quickly when the police arrived. I consider that the whole matter was handled very poorly by police.”
Sergeant Matthew Ward was one of the first officers on the scene and it was his bodyworn camera footage which was played to the court.
The footage shows Willis standing next to Mr Fellows’ stretcher as paramedics frantically worked on him.
Sgt Ward asked a paramedic if they wanted Willis “out”.
Willis turned quickly and said: “You want me out. I’ll f--ing crack you.”
Police then pulled a taser on Willis.
Officers are heard telling Willis the paramedics were trying to save his friend’s life.
“That’s my best mate,” Willis replied.
The footage shows friends of Willis stepping in and trying to calm him down.
Willis called police “maggots” and swore loudly at them before being led further down the street by friends.
An officer was heard saying the situation had been “de-escalated”. But police still followed and told Willis he was under arrest.
When Willis objected, police tasered him, dropping him to the ground.
After the footage was played, Magistrate Philipson asked police prosecutor Sergeant Lewis Butterfield if he still wanted to proceed with an obstruct police charge.
“After seeing that footage I have taken a certain view,” she said.
Sgt Lewis dropped the obstructing police charge.
Magistrate Philipson convicted and did not further punish Willis for hindering the paramedic and public nuisance. Willis’s lawyer Campbell MacCallum, of Moloney MacCallum Abdelshahied Lawyers, said Willis had been given permission by paramedics to stay by Mr Fellows’ side. He said Mr Fellows was Willis’s best friend and flatmate.
“It’s not until police arrive that it sort of escalates from there,” Mr MacCallum said.
Outside court Mr MacCallum agreed with Magistrate Philipson that the situation had been handled poorly.
“Police turn up and they completely escalate the situation and aggravate a person who is clearly emotional and under stress,” he said. “That’s when it becomes dangerous in these situations.”
Willis has remained tightlipped since Mr Fellows’ fall.
At the time, friends rallied around and started a Go Fund Me page to help support Mr Fellows’ family.
Police were unable to provide a comment by the time the Bulletin went to print, with the police media section saying officers were tied up with Commissioner Ian Stewart’s retirement functions.