Police rip off woman’s window after she refused to get out of the car

A woman in Australia has found herself remanded in police custody after a dramatic encounter saw her car window ripped out by police.

Helen Delaney, a so-called 'sovereign citizen', was arrested after she refused to comply with police officers when she was pulled over on Wednesday (January 18) in Coffs Harbour.

'Sovereign citizens' are people who labour under the illusion that they can opt-out of Australia's legal system.

The bizarre altercation was caught on camera by Delaney's passenger.

In the clip, the 52-year-old could be seen winding her window down a smidge, declining to wind it down further or acknowledge police authority after she was pulled over.

"I’m not in your jurisdiction,” she can be heard claiming.

The officer replied: “Yes, you are."

The man behind the camera then can be heard piping up, asking the police officer: "Can you explain how we’re in the jurisdiction, sir?"

The police officer replied: “Well, you’re driving a vehicle..."

But the pair interjected, yelling: “We’re not driving. We’re travelling."

At this point the cop can be seen losing his patience and ordered them out of the car.

The pair - of course - refused, with the man telling the cops they have no authority over them.

"You have no authority here. Who do you derive your authority from? There is no sovereign in this country," he told police.

The man filming then added: "Don't you dare think you guys have authority here."

The officers were growing frustrated with the pair and decided to call for backup before once again ordered the pair out of the car.

As they were taunting police, one of the officers decided he had had enough.

He reached forward, and, with two strong tugs, ripped the glass window clean from the car.

Moments later, the woman gets pulled from the driver's seat while her male passenger protested.

A statement from NSW Police said, as per Daily Mail: "Just before 1pm on Wednesday 18 January, officers from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command were patrolling the Coffs Harbour area, when they stopped a vehicle on the Pacific Highway.

"Subsequent checks revealed the vehicle’s registration had expired in July 2022.

"Police spoke with the driver, a 52-year-old woman, who was allegedly wanted on two outstanding arrest warrants for domestic violence-related offences."

The statement added: "The woman allegedly failed to provide officers with her details and was arrested at the scene and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station."

NSW Police later revealed she also refused to provide a breath test at the station.

She was remanded in police custody and was refused bail.