Police  used  pepper spray and a baton to stop a Mataura man and associates from assaulting them while they were making an arrest at a Mataura hotel.

Jimmy-Joe Elers, 36, of Mataura pleaded guilty to one charge of assaulting police and one of obstructing police in the Gore District Court on Wednesday. 

On March 22, police resorted to pepper spray and a baton to stop the defendant and associates from assaulting two officers as a woman was being arrested in the carpark of the Falls Hotel,  in Mataura.

At about 7.30pm, the woman was arrested by police.

The defendant, with two associates, approached the officers, the summary of facts said.

The trio stalked police as they walked with the arrested woman to their patrol vehicle, about 100m away.

The offenders did this despite being told to stay away.

One officer became concerned and used pepper spray to try and prevent the situation from escalating further, the summary said.

 Police were accosted by Elers’ two associates, who were then pushed away by one of the officers.

The defendant ran around one officer, and stood in between the two officers, acted aggressively and moved into Constable Lachlan McKeogh’s  personal space in a confrontational manner, the summary said. 

Elers, joined by the others, pushed the constable across the carpark with clenched fists and jumped back and forward towards him, trying to punch the victim.

Const McKeogh pushed the defendant away and used pepper spray and an ASP baton to stop the defendant and associates from further violence.

 The defendant then attempted to punch the officer two or three more times, but did not make contact, the summary said.

Meanwhile, an associate tried to free the arrested woman from the other constable, and only desisted after being pepper sprayed.

The effect of the pepper spray on the defendant and associates meant the officers were able to leave the hotel carpark in their patrol vehicle.

Const McKeogh was not injured as a result of the incident.

In explanation, the defendant claimed he was assaulted by police.

Judge Thomas Ingram  said the defendant did not “need to be poking your nose in” while police executed their duty.

The defendant was fined $300.  

gemma.sinclair@alliedmedia.co.nz