South West man Sam David Rogers placed on supervision order after biting police officer during arrest

A 27-year-old Australind man has been advised he should “be nice” to police officers in future after avoiding jail for biting an officer who was trying to place him in a psychiatric hold. Sam David Rogers appeared in Bunbury Magistrates Court on Thursday where he was placed on a 12-month intensive supervision order after previously pleading guilty to assaulting a public officer, obstructing public officers and criminal damage. The court was told Rogers drove to an Australind property during the evening of September 8 last year when he knocked on the front door asking to come in. When he was refused entry, Rogers became enraged and headbutted the screen door, damaged a panel of fencing and continued to kick at the door until police attended. He was located by officers in the front garden and was deemed to be intoxicated. Rogers then expressed suicidal ideation, prompting the officers to arrest him to try and place him in a psychiatric hold out of concern for his mental health. Rogers resisted arrest and bit the hand of one officer during the struggle before he was eventually handcuffed. The officer suffered a 5mm wound on his hand that was bleeding and causing pain. The court was also told Rogers had been drinking in the lead-up to the incident when his car broke down and his phone battery was dead. He then walked to his ex-partner’s property to seek assistance but due to his intoxicated state, he was refused entry. It was submitted Rogers was in a “distressed mental state” at the time of offending, which had been exacerbated by alcohol abuse, and had since taken steps to address it through completing the Alcohol and Other Drug Diversion Program and having a stint in residential rehab. In sentencing, Magistrate Benjamin Tyers commended Rogers’ turn-around, noting that he was “largely off” the alcohol but warned he could have faced jail time if he was charged with more serious offences after his “hissy fit”. “You shouldn’t go around chomping down on coppers,” he said. “Next time you see a police officer, be nice to them.” Lifeline: 13 11 14