Victoria police officer brutally attacked by woman who refused to wear face mask

A Victoria Police officer had her head repeatedly bashed into concrete by a woman who refused to wear a mask in line with coronavirus rules.

The 26-year-old officer and her partner approached a woman about 5pm on Monday at a Frankston shopping centre who was not wearing a mask and the confrontation turned violent, Chief Commissioner Shane Patton says.

“They approached a 38-year-old woman, who wasn’t wearing a mask. After a confrontation and being assaulted by that woman, those police officers went to ground and there was a scuffle,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“This 38-year-old woman smashed the head of the policewoman several times into a concrete area on the ground.

“That’s someone who thinks they’re above the law.

“They’re not wearing a mask, they’re approached and asked the reason why not and then to react like that is just completely over the top.”

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The woman was taken to a police station, charged with assaulting police, recklessly causing injury, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, two counts of resisting an emergency worker on duty and refusing to state her name and address.

She was also fined $200 for not wearing a mask and bailed due to no criminal history.

The police officer received significant head injuries was taken to the Frankston Hospital for assessment and medical treatment.

Victoria Police issued 161 fines on Monday to people flouting coronavirus restrictions, including 60 people who were not wearing masks.

There were nine fines issued at vehicle checkpoints, with 22,091 checks carried out.

Mr Patton said on at least four occasions in the past week, police had to smash car windows and pull people out because they were refusing to provide personal details in line with public health guidelines.

Other people fined on Monday include someone trying to buy a car after the 8pm curfew and another who was bored and wanted to go for a drive.

Police conducted 6033 spot checks on people at homes, businesses and public places in the past 24 hours across Victoria.