'No regrets' over fracas with police

Tania Stewart has been remanded on bail with a curfew and an alcohol ban.

The Auckland woman charged with kicking in the windscreen of a police car while her dogs attacked the officers inside does not regret her actions.

Tania Leanne Stewart appeared briefly in the Papakura District Court yesterday facing numerous charges including three of assaulting constables with her dogs.

Outside the court she told the Herald she kicked in the windscreen after seeing how the officers were treating her and her dogs and she had no regrets.

"It was just the way they treated me; there was no respect at all."

Police were called to Ms Stewart's Papakura home early yesterday over a domestic dispute.

Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Grimstone said staff arrived to find the 27-year-old woman drunk.

She was aggressive and in charge of two bull mastiff dogs.

Mr Grimstone said Ms Stewart encouraged the dogs to attack the officers, who in return sprayed them with pepper spray.

When the spray had no effect the officers climbed back into their car.

But the dogs, called Tana and Cash, continued to lunge at the officers through the windows.

Ms Stewart then climbed on to the bonnet of the police car and started kicking in the windscreen.

Two more officers arrived and tried to negotiate with her.

When that failed they shot one of her dogs, injuring but not killing it.

Ms Stewart was arrested but her dogs continued their attack and the wounded one was shot again.

In court yesterday afternoon, Ms Stewart faced charges of behaving in a disorderly manner, resisting Constable Logan Pene, using her dogs to assault Constables Jacob Coleman, Mark McDonald and Brendan Campbell and intentionally damaging Housing NZ property and a police car.

The duty solicitor applied for interim name suppression on the grounds that Ms Stewart did not want her mother, Child, Youth and Family - which has custody of three of her children - or the father of her 8-month-old son to hear about the case through the media.

The application was declined on the grounds of public interest and because the incident happened in a public place and everyone in her street witnessed it.

Ms Stewart told the Herald she had no idea why the police turned up at her home as she was there alone and there was no domestic trouble.

She did not set her dogs on the officers - they were protecting her from them. The petite woman said she kicked in the windscreen "out of rage".

She has been remanded on bail with a curfew and instructions not to drink or have control over any dogs.

Mr Grimstone said Ms Stewart's dogs would be destroyed.

"There is no question that this woman is totally responsible for the demise of these animals."

Mr Grimstone said the officers, who escaped injury, were put in an incredibly dangerous situation and he praised they way they had handled it.