Jetstar passenger claims she was fleeing domestic violence when she stabbed AFP officers with pen

2 weeks ago 11

A woman who stabbed two Australian Federal Police officers with a pen who were removing her from a Jetstar flight in January has told a court she was on the flight to flee a domestic violence relationship.

Amy-Lee Kristen Botefuhr, 34, was sentenced to12 months in jail on Tuesday in the District Court of WA after she pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in conduct causing harm to Commonwealth public official.

The court was told Botefuhr had been in a relationship for 15 years, which she described as being marred by abuse, control and isolation, before she travelled to Perth from Sydney to escape on the day of the incident.

“She was boarding the flight in a heightened emotional state,” Botefuhr’s defence lawyer told the court, before explaining the 34-year-old felt like she was being “targeted” by staff and other passengers during the journey.

But the court was told there was no evidence of any “targeting”, and Botefuhr was being “aggressive and belligerent” towards Jetstar staff, who called police upon landing at Perth Airport.

Amy-Lee Kristen Botefuhr stabbed an AFP officer in the face with a pen.

When AFP officers tried to remove her from the plane, she walked away from them before using a pen concealed under her clothes to stab an officer when they tried to restrain her.

She also stabbed a second officer in the face and neck after he rushed in to help his colleague.

That officer was taken to Royal Perth Hospital for treatment, but was discharged the next day.

The court was told one of the men was afraid she would stab him in the eye and has suffered lasting harm from the assault.

Botefuhr, who is originally from Queensland and had a brother in WA she was planning to stay with, found herself in prison after the incident, which the court was told was also plagued with issues after she “presented as a significant management problem for custodial authorities”, and had “incidences where she has been extremely disruptive”.

An AFP officer stabbed in the face and neck at Perth Airport by disruptive passenger.

The court was told she complained about being unhappy with the food and had been threatening and abusive towards staff, which has landed her in isolation.

Prosecutors told the court it was a “vicious attack” that was premeditated and has had lasting physical and emotional effects on the officers involved.

Botefuhr was sentenced to a 12-month jail term which will see her released in January as a result of time already spent behind bars, after which she will be placed on a 15-month “good behaviour” recognisance order.

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