A 21-year-old man who was in a drunken outburst in the early hours of the morning asked police “what are you going to do” before being pepper sprayed and claiming police brutality.
Nathan Cannell, 21, pleaded guilty in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday to resisting police, assault and being drunk and disorderly.
A police prosecutor said officers were called to Cannell’s home about 4.10am on October 1 last year because he was behaving erratically.
When police arrived he was standing outside his home, had broken a window on his property and appeared drunk and erratic.
The court was told Cannell told police to “f—ing come at me” before being told to stay inside his property by officers.
After being told to go inside his home, he started to run away from the scene and officers followed him.
The court heard Cannell said: “What are you going to do C—?”.
Body worn camera footage, which was played to the court, revealed Cannell lunged at a police officer to grab his vest before he was taken down to the ground and pepper sprayed.
While on the ground, he was repeatedly heard saying “police brutality” and appeared to be in a drunken and erratic state of mind.
Cannell’s lawyer said the assault was of the lower end of the scale.
Magistrate Ann McGarvie said police officers faced dangers every day and encouraged Cannell to sort out his problems with alcohol.
Cannell was sentenced to a good behaviour bond for 12 months and was fined $300.
No conviction was recorded.