Ralph Adrian Wallam: Katanning man fined for resisting arrest after police mistook TV remote for weapon

A Katanning man who resisted police after they mistakenly arrested him after confusing a TV remote for a weapon has been fined. Ralph Adrian Wallam appeared in Albany Magistrates Court via video link from Albany Regional Prison on Thursday, April 10 and pleaded guilty to one charge of obstructing public officers. Police attended the 28-year-old’s Katanning home in the early hours of February 6 after a neighbour complained about a loud party. When they entered, officers saw Wallam pointing a TV remote in an “aggressive manner” at another person and asking him to leave. Believing the remote was a “different weapon”, police asked Wallam to drop it before arresting him. Wallam struggled and refused to get in the police vehicle, saying he hadn’t done anything wrong, and he wouldn’t leave the house without his bumbag. Other occupants of the house then surrounded the officers as they tried to load Wallam into the car, only moving away after police deployed pepper spray. Defence lawyer Kyah Langdon said Wallam was on parole after serving several years in prison and, concerned he would be imprisoned again, wanted to bring a bumbag containing his deceased grandmother’s valuables. Ms Langdon said Wallam admitted he should have respected police more. Ms Langdon also said the stress of the incident caused him to drink alcohol, breaching a community-based order. He was subsequently made to serve the remainder of his sentence until April 21. Magistrate Erin O’Donnell admonished police for their “assumption” about what Wallam was holding but agreed he escalated the matter by resisting arrest. She fined him $700 with costs of $300.