Woman who bit a police officer’s hand declined discharge without conviction

A female constable was left with a fractured hand after being bitten by a woman in handcuffs. Photo / NZME

A woman who bit a female police officer’s hand through to the bone has had her application for a discharge without conviction declined.

Mystique Rueben Tuoro, 24, was sentenced in the Whangārei District Court by Judge Diedre Orchard on one charge of injures with intent to injure and one charge of assault on a police officer, over an incident in July last year.

Tuoro originally pleaded not guilty and elected a jury trial, however, later changed her plea to guilty.

She was referred to restorative justice with the complainants but declined to do it.

Three months later, she changed her mind and sought to engage with the restorative justice process. However, Judge Orchard criticised her intentions.

“You changed your mind to improve your chances. I get the impression you think your behaviour was justified,” the judge said.

On the day of the incident, police were called to Tuoro’s partner’s home, a summary of facts read to the court stated. On hearing police were at her partner’s place, Tuoro turned up uninvited.

Her behaviour towards a number of family members was reported as aggressive, and a police safety order was issued to remove her from the property.

While being detained, Tuoro threw a punch at the jaw of a woman constable and when another female constable came to assist, she was also punched in the face.

Tuoro continued to grapple with the two officers, and while on the ground being cuffed, she latched her teeth into the hand of the second officer.

The bite mark went through to the bone, fracturing the constable’s hand, and she required a number of weeks off work.

Tuoro attempted to get a discharge without conviction and her lawyer Sam McDonald argued a conviction would impact her employment opportunities.

“I think you are ignoring the seriousness of offending and [I am] surprised we are not addressing that she might be going to prison today,” Judge Orchard warned.

“You had no business turning up there,” the judge told Tuoro. “Your behaviour was disgraceful, make no bones about that.”

Tuoro’s application for a discharge without conviction was declined and she was sentenced to five months’ home detention.