A young woman shoved a police officer several times and told another to “do something that matters” after she became angry with their “heavy handed” manner of breaking up a busy house party with the riot squad, a court has heard.
Maisie Nugent appeared in Sydney Downing Centre Court on Thursday to plead guilty to two counts of assaulting police in the execution of their duty.
The 21-year-old had been attending a party at a home on Riley St in Surry Hills when a specialised police force swarmed the celebration in the early hours of November 6, 2022.
Footage of the police breaking up the party went viral after it was shared on social media by Sophie Teo, daughter of controversial brain surgeon Charlie Teo.
On her Instagram, Ms Teo claimed the specialist Raptor Squad had been employed to disband the house party and police officers were “kicking and breaking the ribs of innocent people”.
She accused the police of violence and said their actions made her feel “traumatised and unsafe”. Ms Teo is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Another party attendee who posted footage online claimed many of the occupants were watching a movie in the backyard when police “kicked the door in” after 10pm and told them to shut it down.
Partygoers said they told police they would do so before midnight, which they did.
The court heard Ms Nugent was chatting with friends when she heard “a bit of a commotion” when “police arrived en masse”.
Police confirmed specialist units including the Raptor Squad and the Public Order and Riot Squad attended the home just after midnight to execute a warrant in relation to several noise complaints.
Officers estimate around 100 people were at the house party when they arrived.
According to the police facts, the partygoers was told to leave the property and directed to the back exit.
Ms Nugent’s lawyer Mark Ryan said she felt she was being “jostled out of the premises.”
As one constable was directing a young man, the court heard Ms Nugent walked up to him and shoved him with her left hand.
According to the facts, she continued to push the officer as she yelled “are you f***ing kidding me?” at him.
The constable was forced to raise his arms to protect himself from the 21-year-old before she was pulled into the crowd, the facts state.
A few minutes later, she was standing on the road with a group of people when a second constable approached and told the partygoers to “move on”.
“Shut up! Big man! Do something that matters!” Ms Nugent shouted back, according to the police facts.
She clapped her hands in front of his face while moving towards him and repeatedly told him to “do something that matters”.
The police facts state her hands made contact with the officer’s cheek and nose.
The constable placed Ms Nugent under arrest and used capsicum spray to dispel the large group of young people.
After admitting to one assault and denying another in December last year, the court heard Ms Nugent changed both pleas to guilty on Thursday.
Mr Ryan explained his client “had difficulty remembering there was actual contact with the face” in the second assault charge.
The court heard she acted “regrettably” but she was “not overly intoxicated”.
“She felt aggrieved about what she perceived to be heavy handed treatment,” Ms Nugent’s lawyer said.
“She made the inadvisable decision to express her anger by pushing the (first) officer.”
The court heard neither officer was injured by the interaction.
Magistrate Daniel Covington told the 21-year-old she had put her career as a carer in jeopardy by involving herself in the incident when she could have stepped back.
He noted she had no prior criminal record and a number of glowing references in her favour.
The magistrate elected not to convict Ms Nugent of the two assaults and instead placed her on two good behaviour bonds for a year.
The young woman looked relieved as she left the courtroom with her family and partner.
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