Narrogin man told police he would ‘slit their throats’ after assault on community member

A 33-year-old Narrogin man has been jailed for a series of violent offences including an unprovoked assault and threats to “slit” the throats of police officers. Maxwell Mike Williams appeared in Albany Magistrates Court via video link from Casuarina prison on December 3 to learn his fate after a trial over violent charges last month. Williams pleaded not guilty to attempt to assault public officer; assault occasioning bodily harm; endanger the life, health or safety of a person; and threats to injure, endanger or harm any person. Earlier this month, Albany Magistrate Dianne Scaddan ruled him guilty on all four offences. He was jailed for 15 months, backdated to the night of his offending on March 8, when he was taken into custody. The court was told that about 7pm, Williams assaulted a man on Bannister Street by punching the victim twice to the head. A scuffle broke out between the pair after the victim asked Williams “how he was going” as he walked past him on the street. Ms Scaddan said he punched the man twice, causing him to fall to the ground. Williams’ Smirnoff vodka bottle broke and he “lunged at the victim’s neck with the broken bottle”, Ms Scaddan said. Scared, the victim ran away and Williams threw the broken bottle in his direction, causing it to smash on the ground. The victim had a black eye and a headache for a week. “This was an unprovoked assault on the streets of Narrogin,” Ms Scaddan said. Later on the night of the assault, police were called to a house on Bunbury Street where they found Williams striking a metal fly-screen door with a knife. Ms Scaddan said Williams threatened to kill the police officers and “slit their throats”. He was escorted out of the house and arrested. While a male police officer searched him, he “dodged the accused’s attempt to headbutt” him. Ms Scaddan said the offences triggered a suspended prison order Williams had received for a common assault. After the magistrate announced her decision and reasons, Williams said: “Give me eight, 10 years, I don’t give a f. . . “F. . . the outside world.” “Let me do my job Mr Williams,” Ms Scaddan said as she tried to read his criminal history for the purposes of the court transcript. In sentencing, Ms Scaddan took into account the fact Williams had already spent nine months in custody.