New body cameras worn by Orange police captured the moment Jason Hardy, 44, of Cassey Crescent, attacked a police officer who was responding to his call for help on Sunday. 

Hardy knocked on a stranger’s door at 8pm on Sunday, telling the occupant he had just been mugged and to call police.

The woman did just that, and Hardy waited for police in her front yard as two senior constables responded to the call and headed to the Kearney’s Drive residence.

MAP: The street where the offence occurred …

After they performed a u-turn and parked on his side of the road, Hardy quickly walked towards the police vehicle and, when the passenger’s-side officer got out to speak to him, Hardy punched him numerous times to the body.

The police officer regained control of the situation, took Hardy to the ground, and handcuffed him with assistance from the other police officer.

He was arrested at the scene, and when questioned about why he assaulted the police officer Hardy was quoted as saying, “I want to go to jail”.

The next day he was sentenced by magistrate David Day in Orange Local Court after entering a guilty plea.

“The fact that he in effect lured police is of great concern,” Mr Day said.

The video footage of the assault was shown in court to aided the police prosecution, and Hardy was given an 18-month jail sentence with a six-month non-parole period a day after the assault occurred.

While wrestling with Hardy the senior constable sustained an injury to his knee.

As part of the defence, Hardy’s solicitor Gerry Stapleton also called up a witness, Mischa Paunovic, who was directly responsible for Hardy’s care through a community justice program after he was released from jail on October 30, 2017.

He said Hardy lived in a group home after being released from jail and his parole period is now complete, but while he was on parole his conduct was “exemplary”.

“If he really wants to go to jail he should have played up while he was on parole,” Mr Day said.

Mr Day said it was the lead up to the assault that was of most concern, adding the offence was aggravated by Hardy’s “extensive criminal history as an adult”.

The early plea was taken into account as part of the sentence.