A man was sentenced to seven months in prison with three months non-parole for assaulting a police officer.
Paul Anthony Holmlund, 38, appeared in Dubbo Local Court this week charged with assaulting a police officer in execution of their duty and wilfully obstructing an officer in execution of their duty, and convicted for both.
He pleaded guilty to both charges and received a three-month fixed sentence for the second sequence, beginning August 5.
A charge of resisting a police officer and two charges of assaulting a police officer causing actual bodily harm were withdrawn.
The court heard that Holmlund suffered from bipolar disorder and had seeked help on his own accord between 2002 and 2003.
After being referred by a GP to a specialist, he was diagnosed with the condition.
Holmlund first ran into trouble with the law in his early 20 s, the court heard, but after 2003, he did not get in trouble again until 2007.
The incident occurred when he was serving a sentence last year.
He was arrested November 5 2008 and appeared in court the next day.
The offences occurred when he was being taken from the court on November 6.
The defence asked Magistrate Howard Hamilton to consider dealing with the matter under the probation and parole service in the way of a suspended sentence.
“I understand that any offence involving a police officer in execution of their duty is serious,” the defence said.
“However, I submit it was at the lower end (of the scale).”
Magistrate Hamilton took into account Holmlund’s pleas of guilty, however, he noted that they were not entered at the earliest available opportunity.
He also took into account references that were handed up, and Holmlund’s prior record, which was not unblemished.
“It needs to be understood by your and others that police officers are entitled to carry out their duties without being harmed or obstructed,” Magistrate Hamilton said.
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