Seven Years' Jail For Stabbing Police Dog

[Boronia]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensl...f-1225960944026

A DRUG-addled habitual Ipswich thief who was shot after stabbing a police dog in a bid to escape arrest 15-months ago has today been jailed for seven years.

The Brisbane District Court was told Christine Louise Thomson, 33, was shot after lunging at police officers and then repeatedly stabbing decorated canine unit operative "PD Zac" during a confrontation at a Runcorn house, on Brisbane's southside, on August 20 last year.

Thomson, who was the first woman to be shot by Queensland police, today pleaded guilty to 127 charges, including 34 for burglary, 26 of fraud, 21 stealing, two malicious act with intent and one of injuring an animal in the night time.

The court was told Thomson's "relentless crime spree'' -- in two short bursts between December 26, 2006, and August 19 last year -- involved her breaking into houses and cars and stealing almost $135,000 in cash and property to help fund her addiction to amphetamines.

Prosecutor Phil McCarthy said Thomson even used subterfuge to trick people into vacating their homes or giving her lifts in their car in order to steal from her unsuspecting victims.

He said Johnson tricked one 71-year-old man into leaving his home by telling him he needed to go to a nearby shopping centre to clear up a report about his involvement in a minor motor vehicle accident.

The court was told when the elderly man bundled himself and his dog into his car and drove off, Thomson burgled his home.

Mr McCarthy said Thomson's other "ruses'' included claiming she was hiding from a man who had just raped her when she was caught burgling one home to stealing from a 73-year-old good Samaritan as he gave her a lift during a time of "distress.''

He said on another Thomson, who also used the alias Thompson, even robbed a person who agreed to give her a lift to hospital because her child was sick.

The court was told Thomson would steal just about anything she could, including baby clothes, child safety car seats, cast iron chairs, tool boxes, prescription glasses, hotel-motel linen as well as the usual items targeted by thieves such as jewellery and electrical goods.

Mr McCarthy said Thomson's campaign of crime came to a crashing end when she rammed a police car in a bid to avoid arrest on August 19 last year.

He said Thomson fled, with police in pursuit, and returned to a rental property at Runcorn and armed herself with a knife.

Thomson lunged at police as they entered the home and then stabbed PD Zac repeatedly about the shoulder blades as the German shepherd tried to subdue the knife wielding thief.

Mr McCarthy said Thomson, who continued to lunge at police after stabbing PD Zac, was then shot once in the stomach.

He said both Thomson and PD Zac, who was described as being as important and valuable to the Queensland Police Service as any sworn officer, made full recoveries from their injuries.

The court was told PD Zac's recovery was so thorough that the decorated pooch was able to return to active duty five weeks later.

Judge Marshall Irwin jailed Thomson for seven years, but recommended she be eligible for parole after serving 28-months.

Thomson, who has been in pre-sentence custody for 462 days, will be eligible for parole in less than a year.

In April, The Courier-Mail revealed PD Zac became the fifth Queensland police dog to be honoured with the coveted German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia national service award.

Edited November 25, 2010 by Boronia

[Cody]

Poor Zac. Glad to hear he is on the mend!