Two New South Wales police officers have been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to the common assault of Jodie Knott, a woman who was experiencing a psychosis episode when they were called to assist her. Officers Nathan Black and Timothy Trouch used extreme force against Knott, emptying two OC spray cans on her during the incident in what was described by a senior officer as a deeply disturbing abuse of power.
A deputy commissioner who reviewed the case described the body worn camera footage of the assault as one of the worst things he had seen in his 40 years in the police force. The footage showed the officers using sustained and disproportionate force against a vulnerable woman who was in the midst of a mental health crisis and who had been the subject of the welfare call in the first place.
In a particularly damning detail, the court heard that after the assault, one of the officers sent a string of messages to a colleague, boasting about the incident. The messages included phrases such as both OC cans emptied on her and the whole body worn is so good, shows are being fucked. The officer also shared some of the body worn camera footage with colleagues, displaying a complete lack of concern about potential consequences.
It was only after this sharing of footage that police launched an investigation into the officers' conduct. Witnesses to the footage and the nurses who attended to Knott after the assault lodged complaints about the officers' behaviour. The investigation confirmed that there had been no justification for the level of force used against a woman who was seeking help, not posing a threat.
Nathan Black received a sentence of three years and three months non-parole, while Timothy Trouch received three years. Black told the court that a lack of training, a high pace of operations and a toxic workplace culture contributed to their actions. However, the sentencing judge noted that the officers had no care whatsoever about the presence of cameras or consequences of their behaviour.
Eighteen months after the assault, Jodie Knott died of cancer. While her death was not directly caused by the police assault, the incident added immeasurable suffering to the final period of her life. Those who knew her said she just wanted help when she called for assistance, and instead was met with violence from the very people who were supposed to protect her.
The case has intensified calls for reform in how Australian police handle mental health crises. Advocates argue that officers need significantly more training in de-escalation techniques and that dedicated mental health response teams should be deployed to welfare calls instead of regular police officers. The toxic workplace culture cited by Black in his defence suggests systemic problems that extend well beyond two individual officers.