THE Tamworth man who turned on two women and police after a confrontation over a toilet paper shortage has been sentenced for the unprovoked attack.
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Wayne Ashley Philp had previously admitted to attacking the Big W employees, putting one in a choke-hold and chucking tissue boxes at another. On Wednesday, he changed his stance by also admitting to the assault on police.
The 50-year-old, who has been in custody since his March 5 arrest, pleaded guilty to charges of resisting police and two counts of assaulting an officer in the execution of their duty.
A second count of resisting police was withdrawn.
He initially denied allegations he had attempted to put an officer in a headlock and grab the firearm from another, when they tried to arrest him in the Tamworth Shoppingworld complex.
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In sentencing, Magistrate Peter Thompson ordered time to be served for the charges. He sentenced Philp to a further 15 months on a conditional release order.
Philp was convicted of two charges of common assault; assaulting police; and two counts of resisting police.
As part of the conditional bond, the court ordered he must attend all medical appointments and undergo counselling and other support service measures.
Philp was arrested at the height of the toilet paper shortage in Tamworth on March 5.
The outburst occurred at Tamworth's Big W store, before the confrontation with officers near the post office that morning.
Philp was tasered before he was eventually arrested. He has been in custody ever since.
The prosecution had argued against bail at the time claiming it was "an unprovoked attack on two people going about their daily lives, in their work".
During a bail application, the court heard Philp had a multitude of medical conditions including epilepsy and a mild intellectual disability.
At the time, magistrate Julie Soars said she could not be satisfied with "the current level of support" offered by the NDIS to Philp in the community.
"I have to refuse him bail, because of a risk of further offending and danger to the community," she said on March 6.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
