A Gold Coast man who grabbed an elderly woman by the neck and used her as a human shield while trying to evade police has been sentenced to 10 months in prison.
Tyrone Kawaiti Sampson, 23, was confronted by officers at an apartment complex on Bauer Street, Southport, on 24 October last year following reports of a fight. When approached by police, he seized the elderly woman and placed her in a rear chokehold in what the court described as an “apparent effort to use her as a human shield.”
Shocking police bodycam footage captured the distressing moment, with officers shouting at Sampson to let the woman go. The victim, visibly terrified, screamed as she was held before being released moments later.
As Sampson attempted to flee by jumping off a balcony, officers deployed a taser, causing him to collapse. He was then sedated by paramedics from the Queensland Ambulance Service and transported to Gold Coast University Hospital.
Just three days after his arrest, Sampson caused further trouble while in custody at Southport Watchhouse, smashing a CCTV camera and spitting on a police intercom after officers denied his request to go to the yard.
At the time of the assault, Sampson had been on parole for less than two weeks. His previous sentence is set to expire on 29 December this year, and the recent offences also violated an existing probation order.
During the court proceedings, his defence lawyer, Brea Callaghan, highlighted his difficult upbringing, stating that he was one of nine siblings and had experienced significant disruptions following his mother’s death from leukaemia when he was a teenager. She also noted that Sampson had spent his time in remand engaging in positive activities such as reading spiritual books and exercising.
Magistrate Steve Wettenhall condemned the attack, calling it “terrifying” for the victim and an experience she would likely never forget.
Despite receiving a 10-month prison sentence, Sampson is eligible for immediate parole due to time already served, meaning he could be released at any moment.
He lost his mother in primary school I re married and my now wife bent over backwards for the kids still thus day kids first, there were 6 siblings 3 of which were fostered. He choose to runaway and live on the streets we picked him up at all times of the morning from the police station trying to get him to come home, he would last two days eat more than we had and disappeare back to the streets. So he always had a choice to come home.