A Wollongong woman has walked free from court after a physical confrontation with police in Cringila, with a magistrate describing her actions as stemming from "juvenile" behaviour.
Court hears details of McGovern Street incident
The 36-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Wollongong Local Court via audio-visual link on January 13, 2026. She was dressed in prison greens and pleaded guilty to two charges: contravening an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) and resisting a police officer in the execution of duty.
Magistrate Geraldine Beattie told the court that had the woman not already spent time in custody, she likely would not have received a jail sentence for the offences.
The struggle that led to handcuffs
According to police facts tendered to the court, officers were called to a home on McGovern Street, Cringila, on the afternoon of November 8 following reports of an alleged assault.
Upon arrival, police found the woman on the front lawn. This location was a direct breach of her ADVO conditions, which specifically prohibited her from being within 50 metres of the protected person's nearby home.
The woman told officers she was only there to collect her belongings. A witness subsequently confirmed that no assault had actually taken place.
While police waited for a caged vehicle to transport her, the woman suddenly bolted inside the house. Officers gave chase, caught up with her, and took her to the ground.
The woman then actively resisted by using her body weight against the officers, forcing them to physically drag her out of the property. She was eventually handcuffed and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station.
'I don't like jail': A deterrent learned
In court, the woman's solicitor, Jack Murray, described his client's actions as "juvenile, annoying and passive". He noted that the time she had just served in custody was her "longest stint behind bars by far" and that it had been a "tough time" acting as a significant deterrent.
Speaking directly from her prison suite via the audio-visual link, the woman told Magistrate Beattie, "I don't like jail, ma'am."
In response, the Magistrate stated, "I accept that experience has been a learning experience for you. I would not have given you a jail sentence for this offence."
Taking into account the time already served, Magistrate Beattie released the woman from custody. She was instead placed on an 11-month Community Correction Order.
