WHAT should have been a night of fun, but responsible celebration was marred by a series of incidents that required police intervention.
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Chifley Police District duty officer Inspector Gerard Powell said that the crowd was great at Bathurst’s major New Year’s Eve event, Party in the Park, however people out in the streets weren’t all on their best behaviour.
“It was very busy for police,” he said.
“One of the issues we had was in the Beddie Street area. Police were called in relation to a number of persons allegedly fighting.
“When police arrived at about 8.40pm there were a number of people in the street.
“It was originally reported as a large brawl in and around Beddie Street and a 20-year-old male was arrested. A second male police were forced to use OC spray (pepper spray) on.”
The 20-year-old was charged with using offensive language in a public place, behaving in an offensive manner in a public place and resisting a police officer in the execution of their duty.
He was bailed to face court on February 4.
Around an hour later, police found themselves responding to another incident involving a group of people.
“At 9.30pm, police were called to Howick Street in West Bathurst in relation to a number of people causing problems and that matter was dispersed with no further action,” Inspector Powell said.
Later, police were called after an 18-year-old female was assaulted in Cummings Street at about 10.45pm.
Inspector Powell said inquiries were continuing in relation to that matter.
The work for police flowed into the early hours of Tuesday morning as people continued celebrating.
At 12.30am police were called to another brawl, this time at Simmons Place in Kelso.
“A 35-year-old male had suffered an injury to his head,” Inspector Powell said.
“A number of police attended. Again a male was sprayed with OC to quell the situation and inquiries are continuing into what happened in that situation.”
This was followed by an altercation in William Street at around 3am, where a 35-year-old male was assaulted by a 55-year-old male, who was then arrested by police.
The 55-year-old was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and is due to appear in court on January 21.
Inspector Powell said there was also an assault in Booth Street involving two women.
A 25-year-old woman was left with a laceration to the face after she was assaulted by a 19-year-old female, who was later arrested, at around 7am Tuesday morning.
Police were informed that a lot of alcohol was consumed at the location and Inspector Powell said the people at the scene “were very hostile to each other and police”.
As the result of a separate incident overnight, a 27-year-old male was charged with malicious damage and is expected to face court on January 14.
Inspector Powell said the man threw a bottle at a vehicle in Havannah Street after an argument with another individual.
In addition to these serious incidents, police officers also attended multiple establishments around Bathurst.
“We had a multitude of incidents at local hotels with people refusing to leave, but those issues were resolved,” Inspector Powell said.
Given the incidents, people are reminded to drink and party responsibly, and to contact police should an incident arise.
