A woman has been convicted and handed a good behaviour bond over her “reactive, inflamed” behaviour during riots outside a western Sydney church after a bishop’s stabbing.
Chantelle David, 28, had attended mass at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley to pray for her dead uncle in April when Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and priest Isaac Royel were stabbed.
When an angry mob gathered outside the church demanding the stabber be released, David joined them.
Calling police “scumbag pigs” and “f***ing dogs”, the Bossley Park woman spat at officers, flipped them off and complained when she was pepper-sprayed, according to court documents.
“You can’t handle a girl with attitude,” she told police.
Police estimate about 2000 rioters attended, damaging police vehicles, throwing projectiles at the church and using weapons such as fence palings, ladders, bricks and rocks to attack officers.
David, who is unemployed and has a criminal history of violence, has pleaded guilty to gathering with others to threaten violence or cause fear, joining an unlawful assembly and hindering or resisting police.
On Wednesday, she was convicted at Fairfield Local Court and sentenced to a two-year community corrections order and 30 hours of community service.
Magistrate Emma Manea condemned David’s “very reactive, inflamed behaviour”, saying a message had to be sent against any conduct which prevented police officers from doing their jobs in maintaining the peace.
“Behaving in this fashion is unacceptable and it’s against community standards,” she said.
Defence solicitor Danielle Epifania said that in addition to experiencing anxiety, depression and PTSD, her client had anger management issues which could be better treated outside of custody.
Ms Manea agreed, but warned David to seek help or she could be back before the courts.
A second rioter Issa Haddad was convicted by the magistrate on Wednesday and handed a three-month jail sentence to be served in the community for his role in the riots.
Outside the Wakeley church, he called for the teenager who stabbed Bishop Emmanuel to be brought out as an “eye for an eye”, telling police officers to just shoot the youngster twice in the head.
Appearing by video-link from jail as his mother and girlfriend watched in court, he was also sentenced to a two-year community corrections order for filming in court and attacking a journalist outside Fairfield courthouse after a hearing in May.
Ms Manea took into account Haddad’s intellectual disability as well as his genuine remorse for his actions.
She said the time he had spent in custody since his bail was revoked on June 19 should deter the rioter from further crimes.
These sentences have been suspended and Haddad will remain in custody as he fights domestic violence allegations he attacked his mother and father during an argument at their family home in June.
A third rioter Christian Dib attended Fairfield courthouse on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to behaving in an offensive manner in a public place and joining an unlawful assembly.
The unemployed tradesman was caught on police body worn camera yelling offensive remarks at officers, calling one a “c**k sucker” while making racially charged comments to another officer of Asian heritage.
Police prosecutors have withdrawn a third charge of using or threatening violence to cause fear that was initially levelled against the Villawood man.
His matter has been adjourned for sentence on September 18.
Police have charged 40 people over the riot and have also hit a 16-year-old boy with a terrorism offence over the stabbing, which they allege was religiously motivated.
