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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Hannah Neale

Groovin' the Moo security guard spits at officer, calls him 'bitch'

Groovin The Moo in Canberra 2023. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

A security guard at Groovin' the Moo called an officer a "bitch" and spat in his direction, before saying police "must've been pretty scared" when handcuffing him.

Michigan Addison Bullock, 24, was sentenced in the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday.

He had previously pleaded guilty to resisting a territory public official.

Agreed facts state about 8pm in April a police officer was patrolling Groovin' the Moo festival at Exhibition Park.

Bullock was working as a security guard at the festival, when he walked past the officer "well within his personal space" and said something inaudible.

This caught the attention of the police officer who turned and asked Bullock: "What's your issue?"

Bullock approached the cop within a distance of about 20cm and demanded the police officer's name.

He stated if he wasn't given the name, the officer was too scared to provide it.

"Feeling the defendant was demanding his name so as to locate him at a later date, [the officer] did not initially provide it," the facts state.

Bullock then began to walk away, before turning around after about three metres and spitting at the officer.

"This spit has landed short of hitting [the police officer] but was clearly directed at him," the document says.

Police then handcuffed and arrested Bullock, who said: "You guys must be pretty scared to use all of yas."

When officers asked if they had any reason to be scared, Bullock replied: "You tell me, you seem pretty intimidated."

Body-worn camera footage of the incident was played to the court on Thursday.

In the video the police officer can he heard saying: "That guy's being a f---ing f---wit mate, he spat on me."

Legal Aid lawyer Brandon Bodel said his client had exercised "absolutely no thought process".

"It's all talk, it's hot air," Mr Bodel told the court.

"[The crime has] caused him to really reflect on how his actions, and his behaviour, impacts on people."

The lawyer stated Bullock had a diagnosed hormone deficiency which required him to take testosterone.

"That particular treatment has had a somewhat unwanted side effect," Mr Bodel said.

"[Bullock has] been finding his mood has become a lot more unstable, and he's become a lot more angry.

"He has related that to taking testosterone."

Mr Bodel told the court Bullock believed this had contributed to him intimidating the police officer and had since ceased treatment.

The court heard Bullock had his security licence suspended in relation to the crime, and another later incident.

Prosecutor Harry Wagner said Bullock's actions were "not an isolated incident".

He argued in the video footage Bullock could be heard calling the officer "a bitch".

"[It was] not mere words that were used to intimidate," Mr Wagner said.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker convicted Bullock and fined him $900, which was waived taking into account time already spent in custody.

"One would have to wonder why someone, particularly in security ... would choose to behave in this way," Ms Walker said.

Bullock remains in custody for other unrelated matters.

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