Apology order for attacks on police

A YOUNG woman who was arrested during Dark Mofo, spitting at, kicking and biting police officers during a series of run-ins with the force, has been ordered to write letters of apology to every officer she assaulted or abused.

Sarah Jane Martin, 26, appeared in Hobart Magistrates Court yesterday after pleading guilty to charges including assaulting, resisting, threatening and using abusive language to police and disorderly conduct dating to October 2017.

But Magistrate Reg Marron said he was “very pleased” to see Martin had changed considerably since she first appeared in court when she was “much angrier”.

Prosecutor Andrew Morton detailed a number of episodes in Hobart’s CBD between Martin and the police, including one in June 2018 when Martin was arrested during Dark Mofo and threw a bottle of alcohol towards a senior constable’s head, kicked an officer, then said “I’ll get you too, you c..t” before biting an officer on the shoe.

Martin then violently thrust her body inside the divisional van, kicking the walls and calling officers “c..ts” as they drove her to the police station. When they arrived, she continued spitting at one of the officers.

Mr Morton said on New Year’s Day last year, Martin ran in front of a police vehicle on Collins St then threw her shoe at the car.

As a constable approached Martin to arrest her, she threw her remaining shoe at him before kicking another officer in the stomach.

Just over a week later on January 9, Martin ran in front of a divisional van on Burnett St that was on its way to an emergency, waving her arms and forcing the police to swerve to avoid hitting her.

Defence lawyer Brittany Clark said Martin had post traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder, and had engaged with services since her offending to address her issues.

She also explained Martin had become homeless and had alcohol issues during the period of offending.

“She considers herself to be a very different person now … right now she’s doing very well,” Ms Clark said.

Mr Marron ordered Martin to undergo a screening report before she is sentenced on February 11 next year — and also ordered her to write apologies to each officer she assaulted or abused.