Woman terrified by whisky bottle-smashing snake

A two-metre-long carpet python with an apparent penchant for whisky has been removed from home in the Howard Springs suburb of Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory after a terrified resident called police thinking it was an intruder. Helen Jackson had been home alone when she heard bottles smashing downstairs.

With her husband working night shift and her trusty seven-year-old rottweiler labrador cross Boofie by her side, Ms Jackson said she began rifling for suitable weapons should the intruders be attempting to smash into her elevated house. “It was terrifying ... I started looking through the cupboard going ‘where’s the pepper, where’s the pepper’, as I’d ­always heard you shouldn’t use a knife because that can be turned on you,” she said.



“I then started yelling out, ‘Is anyone there?’, but no one answered so I ran back inside and Boofie jumped straight onto my lap.” Ms Jackson said as she was contemplating calling 000 when three police officers ­appeared at her doorstep, having being notified by her next door neighbour who had also heard the commotion. With the authorities by her side Ms Jackson said they made their way to the downstairs spare room where they were confronted with the culprit.

The carpet python had smashed three bottles of the couple’s scotch, including Johnnie Walker Red Label and a top-notch Chivas Regal, as he was trying to slither from the roof onto the cabinet. “I’d almost stepped on him as I’d gone to turn the light on ... I’m still trembling,” Ms Jackson said. A snake catcher removed the harmless carpet python, releasing it back into bushland.