Jetstar passenger claims she was fleeing domestic violence when she stabbed AFP officers with pen
A woman who stabbed two Australian Federal Police officers with a pen after removing her from a Jetstar flight in January told a court she had boarded the plane to escape a domestic violence relationship.
Amy-Lee Kristen Botefuhr, 34, was sentenced to 12 months in prison in the WA District Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to two counts of committing acts prejudicial to a Commonwealth public servant.
The court was told Botefuhr had been in a relationship that had broken down due to abuse, control and isolation for 15 years before she drove from Sydney to Perth to escape on the day of the incident.
“He was boarding the plane in an extremely emotional state,” Botefuhr’s defense lawyer told the court, explaining that the 34-year-old felt like he was being “targeted” by staff and other passengers during the journey.
But the court was told there was no evidence of “targeting” and that Botefuhr had been “aggressive and aggressive” towards Jetstar staff, who called police when he landed at Perth Airport.
Amy-Lee Kristen Botefuhr stabbed an AFP officer in the face with a pen.Credit: Facebook
When AFP officers tried to remove him from the plane, he walked away from them and used a pen he had hidden under his clothes to stab an officer who tried to restrain him.
He also stabbed a second police officer, who ran to help his colleague, in the face and neck.
This officer was taken to Royal Perth Hospital for treatment but was discharged the next day.
