UPDATED, Friday, 9am:
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A Warrnambool woman has been jailed for the 41 days she has already spent in custody after a police officer trying to arrest her was cut through his protective gloves.
Dianne Lofts, 56, of Carmel Drive, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to assaulting an emergency worker on duty, possession of a controlled weapon, causing criminal damage, resisting police, making a threat to kill and unlawful assault.
The charges related to incidents in August 2019 and May last year.
Police said that at 8.30pm on August 8, 2019, Lofts went to a home at Warrnambool's Fleetwood Court while in the possession of a knife.
She was abusive and threatening out the front of a home and could be heard smashing something.
Police were called and when they arrived they found Lofts trying to smash a window with a broom.
Lofts was told to stop, but ran off and attempted to smash another window.
She moved towards one policeman and swung the broom like a cricket bat.
The officer was able to trap the broom under his arm and Lofts was forced to the ground.
She struggled to avoid being arrested and the police officer was told she had a knife.
Lofts was disarmed but had blood on her hands.
She was abusive to police and ambulance officers, taken to hospital for treatment and had to be sedated due to her aggressive behaviour.
The policeman suffered a cut through his protective gloves to a ring finger.
A front window at the home was smashed and what was believed to be Lofts' blood on the inside door handle.
A lounge room window was also cracked.
A second incident happened in May last year involving Lofts threatening neighbours over cats fighting.
Lofts walked up to her neighbours holding a cricket bat and then shaped up to fight a man, while abusing him.
Magistrate Peter Mellas imposed a 41-day sentence, which was the time Lofts had already served in custody while on remand.
He said that therapeutic measures had now been put in place to support Lofts and give her every chance to not offend again in the future.
He said the emphasis was for Lofts to maintain contact with her service providers.
"If you do continue to offend you know you just risk serving long and longer periods in custody," he said.
Lofts has a significant criminal record.
Thursday: Warrnambool woman Dianne Lofts has until 11.30am on Thursday morning to attend court or a warrant will be issued for her arrest.
Ms Lofts, 56, previously of Carmel Drive, was to appear in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Thursday morning at 10am for a sentencing hearing.
Lawyer Belinda Northey told Geelong magistrate Peter Mellas via a video link that her client had not arrived at the Warrnambool offices of Legal Aid to join the hearing.
Mr Mellas said an assessment had found Ms Lofts unsuitable for a community corrections order.
Ms Northey revealed she spoke with Ms Lofts on Monday and her client was aware of today's hearing.
She said her client was now not answering her mobile telephone.
The lawyer said she wanted to make several comments about the unsuitable CCO assessment, but would do so when her client arrived.
Mr Mellas said that Ms Lofts had until 11.30am to attend court or he would issue a warrant of apprehension.
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.