Anthony Lee Cowell: Man released from prison after trying to crawl across road and assaulting a police officer

A drunk and disorderly Albany man who attempted to crawl across a busy road and threatened to push police officers into oncoming traffic has been given a community based order. Anthony Lee Cowell, 48, appeared via video link from Albany Regional Prison in Albany Magistrates Court last Thursday, pleading guilty to one charge of breach of bail (fail to appear soon after), one charge of obstructing public officers and one charge of assault public officer. Police prosecutor Sgt Matt Hartfield told the court police received reports from members of the public of a heavily intoxicated man on Mercer Road in Orana on June 4. The man was reported to have been stumbling across the road. When police arrived, they found Cowell face down in a drain. He refused to provide his details to police and attempted to crawl across the road before being handcuffed by police. Cowell was described as being “belligerent” and started to push his body towards the officers, telling them he could push them into oncoming traffic. He resisted police as they attempted to place him in the back of a police van when he flung his head backwards into a constable. His head connected with the constable’s lip and tooth, causing pain, swelling and bleeding. Cowell was released on bail so he could appear in Albany Magistrates Court from Perth Magistrates Court, however, he failed to appear on June 8. Cowell handed himself into the police on September 22. His defence lawyer Lucy Bourne said Cowell had no intention of making contact with the constable when he flung his head back and that he didn’t recall telling the officers he could push them into oncoming traffic. Ms Bourne said alcohol had been a long-term issue of Cowell’s and he did not remember much of the incident. Sgt Hartfield said the offence was serious and that “police go to work to help the community, not to get assaulted”. Magistrate Dianne Scaddan said despite Cowell’s lack of memory of events his prior alcohol use indicated it was likely he committed the offences. “Police do expect a bit of rough and tumble, but they do not expect to get assaulted,” she said. “The incident was underscored by alcohol, you were intoxicated and made their job more difficult. “They do not go to work to be assaulted, nobody does.” Cowell was fined $400 for the breach of bail. He was released from prison on an eight-month community based order for obstruction and assault which requires him to undergo alcohol counselling.