Woman granted mercy for punching police officer she believed was trying to assault her partner

A woman has been thrown a lifeline after punching a police officer trying to stop her partner from being ruthlessly beaten at a festival, believing he was a friend of the assailant and not an officer on duty. Alyssa Grace Green, 24, appeared in Bunbury Magistrates Court on Tuesday where she pleaded guilty to one charge of assaulting a police officer. The prosecution told the court that at 6pm on February 24, Green was attending the Bunbury Beer and Cider Festival at Koombana Bay where a fight broke out between her partner and a man unknown to them in the carpark. Police body-cam footage showed Green’s partner being strangled on the ground while she — in distress — attempted to break up the fight. Police stepped in to pull Green off the alleged assailant and pushed her away. She then stumbled back towards the officer and punched him with a closed right fist to his face. Green was arrested and then released shortly after as the man who allegedly started the fight escaped custody and the officers were required to chase him. She underwent an interview in the next week, made a full admission to police and was “immediately and unreservedly apologetic”, according to her counsel. The police officer was described as wearing “dark-coloured clothing” and Green explained she did not realise the man she hit was an officer in her panicked state, instead thinking he was an ally of the person allegedly assaulting her partner. The prosecution “100 per cent agreed” with Green’s remarks and noted the officer’s dark clothing made it hard to tell he was on duty. The court was told Green was a person of good character, having no previous criminal record and several letters of commendation. Magistrate Joanne Andretich was satisfied that there was no malice in her actions. “In these circumstances, in the maelstrom of the instance it’s perfectly understandable why you reacted,” she said. “I would normally refuse a spent conviction on the charge of assaulting an officer however the circumstances here are greatly different.” Green was a given a $1000 fine suspended for four months and granted a spent conviction.