By Belinda Henley
Two people have appeared in the Hastings District Court charged with attacking a Hawke's Bay police officer.
It is alleged the officer was knocked to the ground and had his radio smashed into his face yesterday.
Thirty-year-old Joy Leaf from Auckland wasn't going without a struggle after she was remanded in custody. She is facing charges of grievous bodily harm in relation to the attack on Clive Community Constable Alan Daly.
Earlier, her and her co-accused, 31-year-old Lance Pirini, were lead into the courthouse. The pair are also facing numerous charges of theft.
Mr Daly pulled over a stolen Subaru in Clive when he was attacked.
The pair pulled into a quiet cul-de-sac and initially co-operated with Mr Daly, pulling over and handing over their keys. But when Mr Daly turned his back the man delivered what police are describing as a 'king hit', knocking him to the ground.
The woman then joined in the attack, grabbing the constable's radio and repeatedly smashing it into his face.
Margaret Jones was pulling into her driveway when she witnessed the beginning of the attack
"Put foot on the brake, stopped dead for split second, thought 'What shall we do here?' Then realised the assailant was getting the better of Constable Daly and this was serious, and fled up to nearest person who might be home."
That person was Ms Jones' son-in-law, who rushed to help and wrestled the constable's assailants off him before police arrived.
Mr Daly has been a police officer for 25 years, the last 10 in the small community of Clive where he is the sole charge officer.
The attack has once again raised the issue of whether police should be routinely armed and if they were, whether that might prevent violence to police, or cause more harm.
"He could have had a weapon taken off him, it could have been taken off him, it could have been used against him or used against an innocent member of the community," says Police Minister Judith Collins, "or he might have approached the matter differently because he had a weapon on him."
The police are expecting to lay more charges. Leaf and Pirini have been remanded in custody without plea until September 29.
3 News
source: newshub archive
