By JOLENE OGLE
A LOCAL cafe worker pleaded guilty in Noosa Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to biting a police officer during a routine traffic stop late last year.
Verica Ilic, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of serious assault, plus one count of obstructing police and two counts of driving unlicensed.
The court heard Ilic was pulled over on 4 December last year and when asked to produce her licence became aggressive towards police.
Ilic was arrested and handcuffed and when she was taken to the police vehicle she bit the arresting officer on the left wrist, breaking the skin and drawing blood.
Four days later, Ilic was again pulled over and charged with unlicensed driving.
Defence lawyer Chelsea Emery said while Ilic was “very angry and hostile” towards police, her client was convinced the handcuffs were going to break her wrist.
Ms Emery said, in the audio tape taken at the time of the event, Ilic can be heard crying out in pain “10 to 12 times” after being handcuffed.
“She felt something serious was going to happen,” Ms Emery said.
Ms Emery said Ilic now realised, “in the cold light of day”, that police have procedures to ensure no damage or injury is inflicted during handcuffing, but was acting out of pain at the time.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Melissa Campbell said police officers deserved to go to work without the risk of being bitten.
“It’s a tough enough job as it is,” she said.
The court heard this wasn’t the first time the victim had been attacked in this way, with a previous bite resulting in a 12-month wait for disease testing and a further eight months off work due to the emotional impact of the event.
Ilic was sentenced to nine months’ jail, wholly suspended for 18 months, and was fined $500 for each of the unlicenced driving offences.
Ilic will also pay $1500 compensation to the vicitim, who was cleared of any transmittable diseases.
