Immobile in the front row, hands of pink nail polish folded neatly on the lap of a darker (more court appropriate) blue dress, she listened to the details of other peoples' drug offences and unlawful assaults, breaches of intervention orders and drink driving pleas, surrounded by lawyers in baggy charcoal suits and clients in tattoos.

Charged with the infamous and viral assault of a police officer at the 2015 Melbourne Cup, Constable Emma DeBruyn detailed the offence.

"The victim," she said, "was on duty wearing full police uniform."

Acting Superintendent Steven Cooper was on his mobile at 4:30pm in fact, standing adjacent to the members' gate, preparing a statement lauding the crowd for their excellent behaviour that day.

Finn was standing nearby, apparently asking the waiting media throng: "What do I have to do to get on the news?"

"The accused," DeBruyn continued, "covered approximately 10 metres in high heels on grass."

The rest is internet history. An unsuspecting cop. A two handed shove. An ungainly collapse backwards, cushioned thankfully by a juniperus conifer (and not the thorn of a rose). The bush survived with only a few broken branches, but a pair of glasses was not so lucky – crushed in the event.

Can it only have been three months since that footage became the clip of the carnival – since people hijacked the minor incident to talk about racism, and privilege, and the grotesque parade of horse racing – how the race that stops a nation has become so decadent and depraved?

Ms Finn, 24, initially took advice from gangland lawyer Zarah Garde-Wilson, but ultimately her lawyer on Thursday was Anthony Brand. He spoke next, offering that a "somewhat tipsy" Finn had earlier been "fraternising "with police and "being jovial."

Indeed, she has posed for a photo earlier, sitting atop a Vicpol motorbike. (She posted it on Facebook, where she was a member of the group "I do what I want when I wanna".)

She had been encouraged by waiting media, Brand said, to do something. A member of the press even held her handbag while she approached the officer and delivered a shove that would be watched more than a million times.

"She has been subject to vilification in the press," he said.

"She has been threatened on social media, mostly by men your honour."

Sarah Finn was surrounded by microphones and cameras as she left court. Photo: Eddie Jim

Brand explained to the court that Ms Finn has a history of "poor impulse control" and that she suffers from and receives treatment for anxiety. She has already offered a sincere apology, and asked for a fine to imposed.

After that summation, DeBruyn offered to show the court footage of the incident, by handing up an iPad to the bench.

"I don't think I need to see it, thank you," said Magistrate Megan Aumair. "Unless you're insisting I do."

The court conceded that Ms Finn has suffered a "harrowing ordeal" as a result of the publicity around her case. It would show mercy.

"I accept it was not malicious," said Ms Aumair. "I accept that it was reckless and stupid but you meant no harm."

Ultimately Finn was fined $800, and costs of $117, plus $150 to repair the broken glasses of Superintendent Cooper, and given three months to pay. "Otherwise you're free to go," she was told.

And she did, finding outside a ruck of media. Four television crews chased her down Williams and then Lonsdale streets. Three radio producers bearing microphones followed, too. More than a handful of still photographers as well, and reporters with notepads.

Thirty seconds later, another person walked out of court. It was Mussie Debresay, committed to stand trial for the murder of a toddler, two-year-old Tonnja Huynh.

No media were there as he walked away.