A single-mother was ‘humiliated’ after being arrested in her underwear in front of her neighbours and 12-year-old daughter over an unpaid petrol bill.
Belinda Goodwin was dragged out of her Gold Coast apartment by two officers on Saturday after initially forgetting to pay for $58 of fuel when her Apple Pay app wasn’t working at a service station in June.
Ms Goodwin received a notice to appear in court two months later but was under the impression that once she paid, she would not need attend and the matter would be over.
To her surprise, the officers showed up at her door and arrested her for failing to appear in court.
Ms Goodwin’s daughter, Summer, frantically filmed the distressing moment her mother sobbed as she was dragged to a waiting police van by her arms and legs.
Belinda Goodwin was dragged out of her Gold Coast apartment by two officers on Saturday after initially forgetting to pay for $58 of fuel when her Apple Pay app wasn’t working at a service station in June
Both Ms Goodwin and Summer described the experience as ‘humiliating’.
‘It was very humiliating for me as well because like, we just moved in like what if they thought that my mum had done something very wrong,’ Summer told A Current Affair.
In the footage, Ms Goodwin can be heard asking what she had done to justify being dragged out of her home in front of Summer.
The officers continually asked her to ‘stand up’ after she falls to the ground numerous times.
Shortly after locking her mother in the back of the van, the officers told Summer to stay at home alone until police are done with processing Ms Goodwin at the local station.
The officers then returned shortly after to ask the distraught girl to get a pair of pants for Ms Goodwin as she couldn’t go to the station in just her underwear.
The commotion quickly garnered the attention of Ms Goodwin’s neighbours at the apartment complex where the family had recently moved in.
Ms Goodwin’s daughter, Summer, frantically filmed the distressing moment her mother sobbed, as she was dragged to an awaiting police van by her arms and legs
Ms Goodwin said that after receiving the notice to appear in court she returned to the gas station where she left had left her license behind the counter and paid the total.
The store clerk happily took her payment and told her the predicament ‘always happens’.
Ms Goodwin took aim at police for using two officers to arrest her over the since-paid bill when there are far more serious crimes that require police attention.
‘There’s people out here that are like breaking and entering killing, stabbing, driving stolen cars,’ she said.
Solicitor Bill Poltz said that while Ms Goodwin was arrested, the real victim of the incident is her daughter.
‘The true victim here was the 12-year-old child who was left traumatised,’ he said.
‘The police should have either not left the child on its own or should have made better arrangements for her care.’
Ms Goodwin has asked for police to publicly apologise for the way they handled her arrest.
‘I want (the officers) to come here and apologise to my neighbours, I want them to apologise to my daughter,’ Ms Goodwin said.
‘I just want them to say sorry like, they shouldn’t have done that.’
Ms Goodwin has asked for police to publicly apologise to her daughter Summer (left) and her neighbours for the humiliating arrest
In a statement, Queensland Police confirmed it executed a warrant out for Ms Goodwin for ‘a number of outstanding matters’.
‘Officers advised the woman she was required to attend the police station for a short duration and would then be returned home,’ the statement reads.
‘Once the woman was advised she was being placed under arrest she became obstructive to officers, refusing to accompany them willingly, at which time a 12-year-old girl at the property became upset.
‘Given the short period of time the woman was expected to be with police, neighbours cared for the child while officers dealt with the woman before returning her home.’
Police claim the matter of unpaid fuel was not primary reason for that officers to be at her home.
A review of the officers’ body-cams found that the officers conduct was appropriate.
Daily Mail Australia has approached Queensland Police for comment.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk