Dunedin Party Gate-Crasher Tasered After Throwing Rocks at Police from Water of Leith
A 32-year-old man accused of gate-crashing a private Dunedin party and assaulting a host before hurling rocks at police from the Water of Leith faces multiple charges, including attacks on first responders.
Attending officers located the suspect standing in the Water of Leith after he allegedly struck a host he did not know and caused a general disruption. Senior Sergeant Ian Notman stated that the man behaved in a threatening manner while officers negotiated with him to exit the river and stop throwing rocks. A taser was deployed, and authorities took the individual into custody.
Medical Event and Charges at Dunedin District Court
Following his arrest, the man suffered a medical event and received treatment from ambulance staff on the scene. While receiving care, he allegedly assaulted attending paramedics and police officers. New legal offenses regarding attacks on first responders passed into law in August, expanding previous protections for police officers to include paramedics, firefighters, and prison officers with a maximum penalty of three years in imprisonment.
The 32-year-old defendant has been charged with threatening to kill, burglary, common assault, wilful damage, resisting police, and assaulting first responders. He was scheduled to appear in the Dunedin District Court at a later date.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Dunedin Leith Street Incident
What charges does the accused face?
The 32-year-old man faces charges of threatening to kill, burglary, common assault, wilful damage, resisting police, and assaulting first responders following the Sunday afternoon incident.
How were first responders involved in the new legislation?
Legislation passed in August updated previous laws protecting police officers to explicitly include paramedics, firefighters, and prison officers, carrying a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
When and where did the incident take place?
Police were called to an address on Leith Street in Dunedin at around 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, where the suspect later retreated into the Water of Leith.
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