Policewoman scarred for life by hot coffee thrown in her face

Marina Smith set fire to a bin which spread to a flat in Glen Rd on March 30 last year. Photo / Gregor Richardson

A police officer has been left scarred after a Dunedin woman threw scalding coffee in her face, a court has heard.

Marina Joy Smith, 50, appeared in the Dunedin District Court after pleading guilty to injuring with intent to injure and arson, which occurred only weeks beforehand.

Judge Robert Spear jailed her for 21 months but acknowledged she would be released imminently given the time she had spent behind bars on remand.

Smith's life had almost totally unravelled last year, the court heard.

Her marriage had ended, she was estranged from her children, was using hard drugs and was hanging out with gang members.

On May 9, her family, who had previously trespassed her, allowed her to stay at their Pine Hill home since she had no other accommodation.

Fire crew attend to an arson in Glen Rd six weeks before Marina Smith's unravelling finally resulted in an attack on a policewoman. Photo / Gregor Richardson

But when her behaviour became erratic and she refused to leave, police were called.

Not even their attendance could persuade Smith to move on; instead, she went to the kitchen to make a coffee.

She sat down with the beverage and when the constables made to grab her wrists to escort her away, she launched the contents of her cup.

The hot drink hit a 24-year-old officer in the face and she fell to the ground in pain.

She was blinded for 10 minutes and rushed to hospital for treatment on the first-degree burns to her face, the court heard.

Though the victim was discharged that day, she spent a significant period off work and now had a scar the size of a one-dollar coin on her forehead.

"She was endeavouring to help you and help your family in a difficult time," said the judge.

"[The attack] could have easily caused her far more harm than it did."

Six weeks earlier, Smith had gone to Glen Rd wearing a mask and sunglasses.

She used a lighter to set fire to pieces of paper then put them in a wheelie bin near some flats.

The bin was soon engulfed in flames and the ensuing blaze caused more than $17,000 of damage to the nearby flat, owned by the Dunedin City Council.

Judge Spear said there was no way Smith could cover the costs of repairs.

A psychologist's report found the defendant did not suffer from a mental illness but considered she was suffering from drug-induced psychosis at the time.

"That, to some extent, provides an explanation but certainly not an excuse as to how you came to act in that bizarre way," said the judge.

Counsel Andrew Dawson said his client — who wept throughout the hearing — was saddened by her actions.

He stressed her limited criminal history and attributed her indiscretions to deteriorating mental health.

"At the time of these offences she was essentially a different person," he said.

The judge imposed release conditions which would assist Smith once she left prison.