By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Narre Warren South man has been jailed for attacking two police officers and striking a police horse at two anti-lockdown protests in the CBD.
Dennis Basic, 42, pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court to charges including animal cruelty, assaulting an emergency worker and recklessly causing injury.
Sentencing judge Douglas Trapnell said on 21 June that he agreed with prosecutors that the attacks on police were “unwarranted, disrespectful and appalling”.
“I would add that it was dangerous, unprovoked and completely lawless.”
At the first protest on Friday 23 October 2020, Basic confronted and wrestled with a police officer at a roadblock and struck a police horse several times to the head with a flagpole.
He had been part of a crowd of about 2000 at the Shrine of Remembrance in defiance of Chief Health Officer directions.
Judge Trapnell said Basic grabbed the officer and ripped the police-issue cap from his head.
He then stood in front of him, yelled obscenities, waved a flag pole in a threatening manner and gestured for the officer to fight him.
The judge described it as “aggressive and violent behaviour”, rejecting a defence argument that Basic was “fearful of the situation”.
Later wearing a balaclava, Basic forcefully struck a police horse several times to the head with a three-metre flagpole attached to a RESIST flag.
The horse lifted its head up quickly and reversed, but wasn’t physically harmed.
During a police raid at Basic’s home, he was arrested.
Three canisters of capsicum spray, an extendable baton, illegal fireworks and flick knives were seized from his home and vehicles.
On 24 July 2021, Basic defied stay at home directions again – as well as his bail conditions – at a 3000-strong anti-lockdown Worldwide Freedom Rally in Melbourne.
At the rally, Basic threw an orange traffic bollard at a Mounted Branch police officer after she rode past on a horse.
The bollard was flung about three metres in the air, striking the officer in the back of her head and shoulder.
It caused her head to jolt forward, and frightened her horse.
“This can only be seen as a deliberate act intended to take her by surprise – which it did,” Judge Trapnell said.
“Moreover, she was on horseback which created a significant risk to her safety. She could easily have fallen off, leaving a riderless horse in dangerous circumstances.
“This was a cowardly and unprovoked attack on a mounted police officer performing her duty by a person who shouldn’t have even been present at the rally.”
The officer endured two months of rehab and significant doses of painkillers for the pain to her neck and headaches.
Since his arrest, Basic has remained behind bars.
The former Brandon Park Secondary student’s rehabilitation prospects were “highly problematic”, Judge Trapnell said.
His extensive criminal history including long jail stints for violence and weapons “did not bode well”.
His early guilty plea, solid work history, family support and long abstinence from alcohol addiction were noted.
Basic was fined $1500 and jailed for 26 months and 14 days. He will be eligible for parole after 20 months.
His term includes 326 days in pre-sentence custody.
