Magistrate refuses spent conviction
A Kalgoorlie Magistrate has accepted an assault conviction against a 29-year-old man could harm his employment in the mining industry, but refused to grant a spent conviction order.
Magistrate Tom Hall refused Stephen Bruce Ward’s application because of concerns he may commit another disorderly offence in the future.
The court heard police were called to a group of units on Lane Street at 10pm on September 22 following a complaint from the caretaker.
When they arrived, they found Ward yelling from one of the rooms, but when he was told to stop he challenged a police officer to a fight.
Police prosecutor Mark Sita said Ward told a male officer to take off his uniform and fight him in his room. He also made a sexually inappropriate comment to a female officer.
Ward was continually told to stop the behaviour during the incident before he used the back of his hand to slap the male officer on the lower lip.
