A female worker in the Northern Territory has been left shaken by a confrontation after a customer allegedly spat in her face twice.

NT Police charged the customer with assaulting a worker following the incident, which occurred at a bottle shop and supermarket on Moulden Terrace in Moulden, 23km south-east of Darwin, on Friday morning.

After allegedly being spat on, police said the worker retrieved her personal OC spray, followed the woman to her car and sprayed her through the driver’s window while a young child was inside.

‘It is alleged an adult female was asked to leave by a female staff member after verbally abusing staff and throwing items around the store,’ an NT Police spokesperson said.

‘Upon telling the woman to leave by a female staff member, the female allegedly spat in the staff member’s face twice.

‘The staff member allegedly retrieved her personal oleoresin capsicum [OC] spray from inside the shop before approaching the vehicle and spraying the woman through the driver’s side window of the vehicle.’

The woman attended Palmerston Police Station at 11.05am, reporting she and her young child were suffering from the effects of OC spray, the spokesperson added.

She has since been charged with assaulting a worker and is due to appear in court on November 18. 

The altercation allegedly occurred at a bottle shop and supermarket on Friday morning

The NT government is trialling adults being allowed to legally purchase pepper spray

The woman attended Palmerston Police Station with her child after allegedly being sprayed

The owner of the bottle shop confirmed to the Daily Mail that the worker involved in the incident was his wife.

‘I wasn’t there to protect her… it was pretty awful,’ he said.

He declined to give further details, saying it ‘would all come out in the proceedings’. 

The possession and carriage of pepper spray are heavily restricted across most of Australia. 

Unauthorised possession or carriage can result in criminal charges, fines or imprisonment, depending on the jurisdiction. 

However, the Northern Territory Government launched a 12-month trial in September 2025 allowing eligible adults to buy and carry OC spray for lawful self-defence. 

Buyers must be at least 18, present valid identification, complete an eligibility declaration and purchase the spray in person from a declared firearms dealer.

OC spray may be used only for lawful and reasonable self-defence, while misuse can constitute an offence under the Weapons Control Act 2001. 

The trial was recently extended to December 2026. 

Investigations into the Moulden incident are ongoing and police are calling for anyone with information to contact 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.