A 21-year-old man is facing multiple serious charges after allegedly assaulting two police officers while naked on the New South Wales South Coast, leaving one officer with serious facial injuries.
Violent Confrontation on Bawley Beach
Police were called to Bawley Beach at Bawley Point around 7:30pm on Friday, January 19, following reports of a concern for welfare. Upon arrival, officers encountered a naked man who, they allege, quickly became aggressive.
As they approached, the man allegedly assaulted a male senior constable. When officers moved in to arrest him, the situation escalated further. Police claim the 21-year-old then punched a female constable in the head and continued to struggle violently.
Officer Sustains Serious Facial Injuries
In an attempt to subdue the man, police deployed pepper spray. However, they allege that during the struggle, the man kicked the same male senior constable in the face, causing what have been described as serious facial injuries.
The injured officer was transported to hospital, where he was reported to be in a stable condition. The alleged assailant was also taken to Shoalhaven Hospital under police guard for assessment. He was discharged and transferred to Nowra Police Station at approximately 5:10am on Saturday.
Multiple Charges and Court Appearance
The Nowra man has been charged with several offences, including:
- Causing grievous bodily harm to a police officer on duty (reckless)
- Two counts of assaulting police
- Hindering or resisting police
He was initially refused bail but was later granted conditional bail after appearing in Bail Division Court 3 on Saturday. The man is scheduled to face Nowra Local Court on January 23 to answer to the charges.
The incident has highlighted the dangers police officers can face during routine welfare checks. An investigation into the full circumstances surrounding the event is ongoing.
