Two former police officers have been jailed for at least three years after spraying pepper spray onto a mentally ill woman’s naked body and stomping on her face.
Timothy John Trautsch, 30, and Nathan Black, 28, were sentenced on Friday at Penrith District Court in Western Sydney over an incident during a welfare check on a 48-year-old woman in January 2023.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Police officers jailed for brutal attack on mentally ill woman.
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The two former senior constables were called to an Emu Plains cul-de-sac following reports the woman was experiencing a mental health episode.
They tried to get her into an ambulance and transport her to hospital, but the situation escalated into an 18-minute assault.
She was pushed onto the road, kicked twice in the head, dragged along by her hair and punched.
At one stage, the two officers struggled trying to handcuff her on the ground as she lashed out with her arms.
She was also sprayed six times with pepper spray, twice in the face and once on her back which was grazed after falling into the rough road surface.
“That can be done for no other purpose than the infliction of pain, to spray OC onto a lady’s back who has been at various stages dragged or fallen onto the floor,” crown prosecutor Nicholas Marney said.
Some of the pepper spray got onto her genitals, the court was told.
The woman’s shrieks and sobs were full of expletives at the two officers.
“God, make me strong. God, make me strong,” she said over and over.
“God, please. I’m sorry I didn’t listen. I’m sorry, God.”
At one stage, the woman defecated on the road and on Black’s leg.
“Wash your dirty stinky arse,” one of the officers was heard saying.
Black pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, using a prohibited weapon without a permit and three counts of common assault.
He also admitted two counts of intentionally publishing protected information after sending snippets of the body-worn footage to another police officer.
In a message exchange, he described how the pair had emptied two cans of pepper spray on the woman.
“The whole body worn (footage) is so good shows her being f***ed,” he wrote.
Trautsch pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, three counts of common assault and one count of using a prohibited weapon without a permit.
Both officers no longer work for the NSW Police Force.
Acting NSW Police Commissioner David Hudson said on Friday that the behaviour of the two former officers was unforgivable.
“As a police officer of over 40 years this is one of the worst examples of contravening our core values and ethics I have ever seen,” Hudson said.
“This behaviour completely contradicts the commitment we make as officers to uphold the values and ethics of wearing the blue uniform.“It is simply not what we stand for as police who make a pledge to protect the community.“I’m very sorry for what the victim endured especially when it was at the hands of police officers who were called there to assist her.
“This type of behaviour is not acceptable at any level within the NSW Police Force.”
Black received a maximum sentence of five years and nine months, with a minimum non-parole period of three years and three months.
Trautsch was sentenced to a maximum of five years and six months, with a non-parole period of three years.
- With AAP
If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression contact beyondblue on 1300224636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.
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