July 20, 2011

Police subjected to sustained assaults

By Anne Clarkson at the Rangiora Court House

Punching, head-butting, spitting, kicking, biting, and threatening to kill police officers on two occasions led to a 12-month prison sentence for 29-year-old Wayne Jonathan Dockerty.

In January and February this year Dockerty was at incidents where his behaviour got out of control, defence counsel Colin Eason said in a Christchurch District Court sentencing at the Rangiora Court House.

He said Dockerty struggled with abuse of alcohol and since he had been in custody his behaviour had been controlled by medication.

Judge Colin Doherty said that in January police had been called to a noise complaint. Dockerty was arrested for telling them ? not politely ? to go away. On the way to the police station he head-butted, bit, spat, and threatened to kill officers, and in the cells kicked, and attempted to bite another officer.

He was charged with four assaults on police, threatening to kill, and using indecent language.

He was placed on bail but in February police were called to an altercation where Dockerty was drinking in breach of his bail conditions.

This time, in the police car, he kicked an officer on the shoulder and head 20 times, and damaged his glasses. At the police station he spat at an officer, and bit one on the hand.

He was charged with resisting police, two assaults, and damaging police property.

Judge Doherty said Dockerty had 16 previous convictions for violent offending, including assaults on police and resisting arrest.

His probation report said his early upbringing had ingrained in him to react violently when confronted, it was the way he coped with things. He was described as having a bitter view of the world.

There was no lasting damage to the police officers, but the behaviour was serious and out of control, Judge Doherty said.

He sentenced him to prison and ordered a reparation payment of $39.95 for damage to the officer?s glasses.