Hijab dispute woman jailed for false statement

By court reporter Jamelle Wells

A Sydney woman is appealing against a jail sentence for making a false complaint about a police officer.

Carnita Matthews from Woodbine in Sydney’s south west made a complaint to Campbelltown police after she was pulled over for a random breath test in June.

She had been given an infringement notice for not properly displaying her P-plates.

But Matthews said the officer was racist and only booked her because of what she was wearing.

She later claimed the officer had tried to remove her veil, which concealed her entire face, except for her eyes.

The 46-year-old has been found guilty of ‘making a false complaint to police’.

In giving her a six-month jail sentence, a magistrate described her actions as “deliberate and malicious”.

Oooh, not good! Magistrates are usually very reserved and conservative. To prompt this kind of blunt wording, she must have been clearly ultra-antagonistic, as well as a willful liar.

And 6 months is not trivial for a ‘false complaint’. She must have really impressed this magistrate with her deliberate mendacity!

Matthews has been granted bail and is appealing against the conviction and sentence.