A woman who allegedly assaulted council animal compliance officers on a North-West beach has denied the charges put against her.
According to The Advocate, Penguin dog owner Judith Elizabeth Murphy was verbally abusive towards council officers at Johnson’s Beach in February 2022, before allegedly punching an officer three times in the shoulder and striking her with a dog leash.
The incident came after Murphy refused to show her dog’s registration tag in a supposed off-lead area for dogs.
A member of the public who witnessed the event told the court the officers were being “quite aggressive” in the way they were talking to Murphy, saying they could “seize her dog and have it put down”.
Judith Murphy pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the hearing will resume in September.
