Woman kicked police after drinking session

A woman arrested after a night of drinking had to have her feet tied together to stop her kicking police officers.

Jana Harris, 22, appeared in the Nelson District Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly behaviour, driving with excess breath alcohol, and assaulting a police officer.

In the early hours of September 29 in Motueka, Harris had been drinking for several hours when she got into an argument with her partner on High St and locked herself in her vehicle.

Harris began to drive the car for several metres, while her partner put himself in front of the vehicle to try to stop it.

Police were alerted and asked Harris to get out of the car, arresting her when she opened the door to shout at her partner.

Harris resisted arrest, kicking one of the policemen in the groin as he attempted to put her into a police car.

Eventually, Harris’s feet had to tied together to prevent her kicking the officers.

When breath-tested, Harris was found to be more than three times over the legal limit for driving at 721 micrograms.

After questioned by police, Harris said she didn’t care who she had kicked.

Defence lawyer Craig Stevenson said Harris was ‘‘very embarrassed about her behaviour’’.

Stevenson said Harris was not a day-to-day drinker, but had issues with monthly ‘‘binge-type sessions’’.

Judge Peter Butler disqualified Harris from driving for six months, and gave her a six-month supervision sentence, on the condition that she attend drug and alcohol counselling.