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Spat on officer David Jones appeared in Kununurra Court of Petty Sessions on December 9 on a charge of disorderly conduct and assaulting a public officer. The court was told Jones was stopped in Messmate Way on September 9 for riding his bicycle without a helmet. When the police had finished talking to Jones, he walked away shouting obscenities. The police approached Jones requesting he cease, however he continued and was consequently arrested. When placed in the police van Jones spat in the face of a police officer. Jones initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea on the day of the hearing. Magistrate Antoine Bloemen sent a out a clear message that assaulting a public officer would not be tolerated and gave Jones an eight-month imprisonment term, suspended for 18 months. Firearm offence Cyril Duncan, 33, of Kununurra, appeared in court on several charges relating to an incident in Lakeside earlier in the year. Duncan pleaded guilty to a charge of inadequate storage of a firearm, driving without a licence and driving with a higher blood alcohol than .08. |
A plea of not guilty was entered for the charges of carrying a controlled weapon in a manner likely to cause fear, unlawfully discharging a firearm across a road, unlawful wounding and common assault. Duncan's' defence counsel requested a hearing in relation to the 'not guilty' pleas not be heard until after the envisaged jury trial of Duncan's co-accused. The matters were remanded until February 25. Duncan's co-accused John Leemans also appeared and was remanded to January 13 for a committal hearing. Not guilty plea Bonnie Edwards of Halls Creek appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to stop at a red light. It was alleged that on September 23, Edwards failed to stop at the red light on the Diversion Dam. The matter has been remanded to January 7 in Halls Creek. Bodily harm Aquinas Bilminga pleaded guilty to a charge of assault occasioning bodily harm and four charges of breaching a community order. Bilminga is yet to enter a plea on a charge of breaching a violence restraining order. A pre-sentence report was requested and Bilminga has been remanding to January 13 for sentencing. |
Heavily intoxicated James Billy Duncan appeared on a charge of assault occasioning bodily harm. The court was told that on November 28 Duncan and his partner had both been drinking and were heavily intoxicated. Duncan left his partner and went to the Big Waters Bar at Hotel Kununurra. While at the bar, Duncan was advised his partner was sleeping in the park with no clothes on. When Duncan arrived at the park he found his partner asleep with only her top on. Duncan punched his de facto in the face, waking her up, and then commenced kicking her with steel cap boots. Duncan then returned to the hotel and police later found his partner and took her to hospital, where she was treated for a laceration and suspected fracture to the left cheekbone. When asked why he had committed the offence, Duncan said he had to 'bash her to teach her a lesson'. At the time of the offence, Duncan was on parole. Mr Bloemen told Duncan he was a violent man and sentenced him to 9 months imprisonment, cumulative to the remainder of his parole. |