'A wonderful person with a great future': Magistrate praises Aboriginal activist, 20, who has assaulted police FOUR times this year and called them 'white dogs' - as she walks free from court again

  • Leilani Clarke, 20, has assaulted police officers four times in two states this year
  • The student has spat on officers three times and twice called police 'white dogs'
  • Leilani describes herself as a proud Aboriginal activist and Butchulla woman
  • A magistrate has called her a 'wonderful' woman after her most recent offence 

By Stephen Gibbs for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 01:33 EDT, 2 November 2018 | Updated: 01:33 EDT, 2 November 2018

An Aboriginal activist who admitted assaulting police for the fourth time this year has been described by a magistrate as a 'wonderful' young person with a bright future.

Leilani Clarke has now pleaded guilty to spitting on police officers three times in less than 12 months and has a history of calling them 'white dogs'.

The 20-year-old walked free from Downing Centre Local Court on Friday without so much as a conviction for another assault upon police. 

Magistrate Erin Kennedy said assaulting police was an 'extremely serious offence' but accepted Clarke had mental health issues and had possibly been self-medicating with illegal drugs.

Aboriginal activist Leilani Clarke has pleaded guilty to spitting on police officers three times this year and has a history of calling them 'white dogs'. She is pictured at court on Friday

Aboriginal activist Leilani Clarke has pleaded guilty to spitting on police officers three times this year and has a history of calling them 'white dogs'. She is pictured at court on Friday

Former university student Leilani Clarke, 20, walked free from Downing Centre Local Court on Friday without so much as a conviction after her fourth offence of assaulting police this year 

Former university student Leilani Clarke, 20, walked free from Downing Centre Local Court on Friday without so much as a conviction after her fourth offence of assaulting police this year 

Magistrate Erin Kennedy said assaulting police was an 'extremely serious offence' but accepted Leilani Clarke had mental health issues and had possibly been self-medicating

Magistrate Erin Kennedy said assaulting police was an 'extremely serious offence' but accepted Leilani Clarke had mental health issues and had possibly been self-medicating

'The worst thing we see happening to wonderful people like you who have a great future ahead of them is if you don't get the proper treatment and you start taking something to self-medicate and we lose you,' Ms Kennedy said.

'Let's not see you back in here.'

Clarke, who was studying environmental science at Sunshine Coast University but now lives in Sydney, has spent much of this year in and out of courts after repeatedly assaulting police.

She is a member of the Butchulla indigenous community on Queensland's Fraser Coast and has previously aspired to organising a festival of her culture. 

Clarke claims to suffer from self-diagnosed 'transgenerational trauma' passed down through the indigenous part of her DNA.

Two days before she most recently spat on a policeman she had kneed another officer in the testicles.

Clarke is a member of the Butchulla indigenous community on Queensland's Fraser Coast and had previously aspired to organising a festival of her culture. She is pictured outside court

Clarke is a member of the Butchulla indigenous community on Queensland's Fraser Coast and had previously aspired to organising a festival of her culture. She is pictured outside court

'The accused has a previous charge for assaulting police and resisting arrest,' a statement of facts about Clarke's latest offence warned.

'At the time of the offence the accused was on bail for similar offences for assaulting police and resisting arrest.'

Police last encountered Clarke when they attended reports of a domestic disturbance at Forest Lodge in the city's inner-west about 1.40am on June 28.

They found Clarke outside a terrace on the footpath in an agitated state and noted she had enlarged pupils.

'Police were at the time of a firm belief that the accused was affected by an illicit substance which may have sent her into a drug-induced mental health episode,' the statement of facts aid. 

An ambulance arrived and when officers told Clarke she would be taken to hospital involuntarily under the Mental Health Act she became more aggressive. 

Leilani Clarke claims to suffer from 'transgenerational trauma' passed on through the indigenous element of her DNA. She has spat on police officers three times so far this year

'The accused attempted to walk away from police and ambulance officers and started screaming, requesting to speak to an Aboriginal Liaison Officer,' the statement of facts said.

As she was being secured to a stretcher Clarke spat on the shoulder of a policeman.

Two days earlier Clarke had kneed another officer in the testicles and spat at police when she was caught stealing a $7 chicken curry from a 7-Eleven store at Marrickville.

Police at that scene described Clarke's behaviour as highly erratic and unpredictable. She called them 'white dogs'.

In April Clarke pleaded guilty in Queensland's Hervey Bay Magistrates Court to assaulting and obstructing police, drug possession and being a public nuisance.

In March she assaulted a paramedic and screamed 'F*** you, white dogs' after being found asleep outside a shop in Annandale about 4am.

While being restrained in an ambulance she spat on a police officer's forearm. 

Magistrate Erin Kennedy allowed Leilani Clarke to walk free from Downing Centre Local Court on Friday without conviction after she pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer in Sydney

Magistrate Erin Kennedy allowed Leilani Clarke to walk free from Downing Centre Local Court on Friday without conviction after she pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer in Sydney

And in January Clarke attacked police and security guards in a Hervey Bay nightclub while dunk, later telling a female officer 'F*** off you s**t'. 

Clarke had wanted an adjournment on Friday to seek medical reports but Ms Kennedy said she was ready to sentence her. 

'She was clearly having a psychotic episode,' Ms Kennedy said. 'She's getting some help.'

Clarke told the court she had recently completed a hospitality course, having deferred her university studies.

'That all seems amazing but you've got to stay on top of your mental health,' Ms Kennedy said. 

'Do not self-medicate. You need suport. Just make sure you say no, you won't take illicit substances.'

Ms Kennedy put Clarke on a 10-month good behaviour bond without recording a conviction. 

 

 

 

 

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Magistrate says Aboriginal activist who assaulted police four times is a 'wonderful' person

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