A lawyer has received a blow from a magistrate after being found guilty of kneeing a police officer in the testicles at Sydney’s Vivid Festival last year.
Sophie Holt denied being drunk during the altercation at The Rocks at Downing Centre Local Court yesterday.
But footage from a police officer’s body camera showed the 38-year-old woman slurring her words and apparently stumbling as police tried to arrange a ride for her to get her home.
“I’m going to remind you that I’m an officer of the court,” she told one of the officers in the May 26, 2023 video.
After trying to deny that she was drunk, the officer told her she “couldn’t even stand up.”
“You crashed into three walls and bounced off three people,” he said.
Security footage showed Holt getting into a taxi before leaning out of the rear window.
This prompted the police to stop her again, leading to the officer receiving a low blow as she was being pulled out of the taxi.
“Don’t kick him, don’t kick him, you don’t need to kick him,” one of the officers was heard telling Holt.
Sydney lawyer Sophie Holt during the incident with police in The Rocks last year
The moment Sophie Holt is pulled out of a taxi and knees an officer in the groin
The other said, “Give me another knee in the balls and I’ll charge you.”
After a few moments he stops her and orders her to put her hands behind her back.
The law in New South Wales allows police to stop a person in a public place if they are deemed to be too intoxicated, particularly if their actions could cause injury to them or someone else.
Holt claimed in court that he accidentally kicked the officers, 7News reported.
However, Judge Kasey Pearce disagreed.
“It was intentional,” he told the court.
‘She is significantly shorter than the officer and had to lift her knee to reach his groin.
“This constitutes an assault.”
Holt was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond.
Outside court, his lawyer, Paul McGirr, said he was “quite surprised by the decision”.
“We have already filed an appeal.”