Michael Ray Bennell: Great Southern dad’s sentencing delayed for ‘foolish’ and ‘disrespectful’ prison assault

A Great Southern father of eight who groped a female prison officer and forced a medical centre into a code black has had his sentencing adjourned after he swore at the magistrate. Michael Ray Bennell’s initial charge of unlawful and indecent assault was discontinued and replaced with assaulting a public officer, to which he pleaded guilty to along with criminal damage in Albany Magistrates Court on Thursday. While incarcerated at Albany Regional Prison and being moved between areas in the prison on January 24, the 47-year-old assaulted a female prison officer by groping her buttocks as she turned to unlock a door. The officer immediately reported the assault. In an impact statement, the victim said she felt “violated” and “disgusted” by Bennell’s actions, police prosecutor Sgt Matt Hartfield said. On July 30, Bennell forced Pingelly Medical Centre into a code black after he forced his way into the waiting room and caused more than $2000 in damage. Bennell had sought medical help from the centre after coming off a methamphetamine high and forced his way in after they told him he needed an appointment. Defence lawyer Bruno Illari said Bennell — whose long history of methamphetamine use started at age 15 and became “more and more entrenched as time went by” — had spent a large amount of time in and out of prison and had never held a job. Mr Illari said Bennell acted “very foolishly and disrespectfully” but thought he had reached out to touch the victim’s belt, not her buttocks. He said Bennell acknowledged the offending would have inflicted psychological trauma but it was over “in a matter of seconds” and caused no physical harm. Interrupting Mr Illari, Bennell said he had recently suffered a loss in the family and became verbally abusive over the video call before trying to leave. Muting Bennell, Magistrate Richard Huston expressed concern about his frame of mind and said it would be “inappropriate to sentence him today”, adjourning his sentencing to December 5. If you or someone you know needs help, contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), or Sexual Assault Counselling Australia on 1800 211 028, the WA Sexual Assault Resource Centre on 6458 1828 or 1800 199 888 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.