IT WAS a busy New Year’s Eve for Oxley, New England and Barwon Local Area Command police with an officer assaulted during a brawl in Inverell and a woman left seriously injured in Narrabri.
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Barwon Local Area Command detectives have seized a motor vehicle in their investigations into a New Year’s Eve incident which left a 43-year-old Narrabri woman with serious head injuries.
The woman was found by neighbours lying on Peel St suffering extensive injuries at 10pm on Monday and was taken to Narrabri Hospital in a critical condition.
She was later transferred to St George Hospital in Sydney.
A 42-year-old man is assisting police with their inquiries.
Barwon detectives and Narrabri police are asking for any witnesses to the incident to report the matter to Narrabri Police Station.
Meanwhile, Inverell police have charged a 47-year-old man with a number of offences after he assaulted an officer during a brawl early on New Year’s Day.
Police were called twice to an address in Eugene St at 2.30am and 4.30am after reports a large crowd was fighting in the street.
Although police dispersed the crowd the first time, on the second call-out a 47-year-old Inverell man, who was aggressive and violent towards police, assaulted one of the officers.
He was subdued by Taser and taken to Inverell District Hospital where he was treated for injuries sustained during the brawl.
Gunnedah police also reportedly attended two separate brawls after midnight which may result in charges being laid against several people.
Senior police from both Oxley and New England LACs have praised the behaviour of most New Year’s Eve revellers in Tamworth and Armidale.
New England LAC Inspector Roger Best said he was extremely pleased with the crowds who attended the 9pm and midnight fireworks displays in Armidale, saying the vast majority were well-behaved.
Just three people were issued with infringement notices during the night: two for offensive language and one for offensive behaviour – urinating in public.
Tamworth police said although they attended a large number of noise and animal complaints and callouts, an offensive language charge was the worst offence committed by Tamworth revellers welcoming in 2013.
Senior Constable Luke Hawes said although Tamworth general duties officers and Target Action Group officers were very busy throughout the night patrolling licensed venues and attending callouts, on the whole, Tamworth’s New Year’s Eve revellers were well-behaved.
“There were plenty of reports of firecrackers being set off, and animal and noise complaints. We were kept busy, but there were minimal charges and offences recorded overnight,” Constable Hawes said.
A 25-year-old Tamworth man spent New Year’s Eve in a police cell after being charged with using offensive language in a public place.
He was arrested in Roberts St just before 11pm on Monday. He was granted bail and will appear in Tamworth Local Court at a later date.