A lawyer copped a sobering blow from a magistrate after being found guilty of kneeing a police officer in the nuts at Sydneys Vivid Festival last year.
Sophie Holt yesterday denied in Downing Centre Local Court she was drunk during the altercation at The Rocks.
But footage from a police officers bodycam showed the 38-year-old slurring her words and appearing to stumble as police tried to tee up a lift home for her.
Im going to remind you that Im an officer of the court, she told one of the officers in the video from May 26, 2023.
After trying to deny she was drunk, the officer told her she couldnt even stand up straight.
You walked into three walls and bounced off three people, he said.
Security footage then showed Holt getting into a taxi before hanging out the back window.
It prompted police to stop her again, leading to the low blow to the officer as shes taken out of the cab.
Dont kick him, dont kick him, you dont need to kick him, one of the officers could be heard telling Holt.
Sydney lawyer Sophie Holt during the incident with police at The Rocks last year
The moment Sophie Holt is taken out of a cab and knees an officer in the groin
The other said: Knee me in the nuts again and youre going to get charged.
Within moments, shes detained and told to put her hands behind her back.
The law in NSW allows police to detain a person in a public place if theyre deemed to be overly intoxicated, particularly if their actions could injure themselves or another person.
Holt claimed in court that she accidentally kicked the officers, 7News reported.
However, Magistrate Kasey Pearce did not agree.
It was intentional, she 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 handed a conviction and given a 12-month good behaviour bond.
Outside court, her lawyer, Paul McGirr, said he was quite shocked with the decision.
Weve already lodged an appeal.