'Ballistic' woman attacks officers

A Greerton woman attacked police officers and spat in the face of one as she was being arrested and placed in a police car. File photo / NZ Herald

A Greerton woman went "ballistic" at two policeman who stopped her for unlicensed driving - cutting the scalp of one and spitting in the face of the other.

Natasha Brakenridge, 33, was yesterday jailed for three months after earlier pleading guilty to two charges of assault on police, resisting police and driving while forbidden.

She appeared in Tauranga District Court before Judge Tom Everett.

The offences occurred after Brakenridge and her partner and an associate were stopped in James Cook Drive, Welcome Bay, about 10.10pm on New Year's Day.

Brakenridge, who was driving while forbidden, was issued paperwork by police and had her vehicle impounded and the trio walked off.

But when her partner was subsequently arrested on an unrelated matter, Brakenridge stepped in and hit one of the constables on the side of the head with her hand causing a laceration to his skull and was arrested.

A struggle ensued during which she was abusive and continued to struggle while the two constables handcuffed her.

Brakenridge was taken to the police patrol car, and while a senior constable was placing the seat belt around her she spat at him from close range causing spittle to cover his face.

She continued to be abusive on the way to the Tauranga police station and at the station had to be physically restrained while being searched.

Her lawyer Nicholas Dutch urged Judge Everett to adopt the pre-sentence report writer's recommendation of supervision and community detention.

Mr Dutch said Brakenridge had been involved with a methadone programme since 2008 but says she was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs that night and accepted she had over-reacted.

But Judge Everett noted Brakenridge had taken four months to plead guilty to the charges, and had previously breached community-based sentences at least four times.

"I think in this case a community-based sentence is out the question."

Judge Everett said the police summary made for "quite disturbing" reading and Brakenridge's behaviour that night had been described "going ballistic" and "appallingly abusive" to the officers both personally and toward their professions.

The officer who was spat at described it as a "gruelling" experience. He was subjected to an "appallingly abusive" barrage which was racially bigoted, derogatory and threatening towards him and his family.

Judge Everett this was one of most disgraceful incidents of abuse toward police of its kind and was serious offending which required a "purely" deterrent sentence.

"Police are not punching bags, and kicking and punching them and the like will not be tolerated. In fact Parliament is moving to increase the penalties because it is becoming so common."

Brakenridge will have to attend counselling upon her release from jail.