Moving parked car was just the limit for DUI cop

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A SENIOR police officer caught more than three times over the legal alcohol limit said he was only moving his car out of a two-hour parking spot.

Darren Keith McCaughey, of Cromer, yesterday pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving after returning a blood-alcohol reading of 0.172 just after midnight on January 4. He was handed a one-year driving ban and fined $750.

The 39-year-old sergeant, who is attached to a special command, was pulled over in Pine St, Manly.

He had been drinking for nearly five hours and said he had consumed six schooners of beer without eating.

His lawyer Philippa Grant told the court her client had planned to get a taxi home and only went to his car to get his keys. "He noticed he was in a two-hour parking spot and decided to drive around the corner," she said.

Senior cop probed over Facebook photos

February 18, 2011

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THE Opposition has raised concerns about police officers using Facebook in light of revelations a senior constable posted photos of drunk Aboriginals in custody on the popular networking website.

Senior Constable John Trenouth is under investigation for allegedly posting the photographs on his Facebook profile on three occasions last year.

He was only stood down from WA Police after the photos were exposed in the media.

The pictures show the men intoxicated and barely conscious inside a police cell in the remote town of Wiluna in the Goldfields.

The caption on one photograph on Facebook reads: "I wonder if anyone will notice my spray-on tan?''

The photographs were allegedly found on Snr Const Trenouth's "profile pictures'' folder on his Facebook page.

Police internal affairs officers are investigating the allegations and have taken copies of the photographs, which appear to have been posted on August 11, August 16 and September 11 last year.

Opposition spokeswoman Margaret Quirk said that while the matter was under internal investigation, it was hard to contemplate any mitigating circumstances for the conduct.

Ms Quirk said she had raised her concerns about police officers using Facebook with senior police in the past.

"As well as the issue of airing official information, the breach of privacy and ignoring official directives about the use of Facebook, this case involves even more startling clear racist overtones,'' she said.

"As part of recruitment training, police officers are given a four-day course on diversity and a component of that relates to Aboriginal culture.

"The senior constable's actions and attitude raise the question about whether he received this training and also suggests he was not suitable to work in remote Western Australia.''

Snr Const Trenouth has been stood down from duty pending the outcome of the inv

Former Cunnamulla police officer sued by three Aborigines over pub arrests

February 18, 2011

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A POLICEMAN is being sued for $630,000 by three Aborigines who claim he racially taunted and arrested them while drunk almost six years ago.

The policeman is accused of the false imprisonment and assault and battery of the trio after he had allegedly consumed rum and more than 15 beers.

Former Cunnamulla constable Adam Millan Martin Reedy and the Queensland Government are being sued by Geraldine Lyn Robinson, Corinne Anne Mitchell and Malcolm John Mitchell over the incident, which started at the Club Hotel on May 15, 2005.

The trio, in documents lodged in the Brisbane District Court on Wednesday, claim Mr Reedy had been drinking beer and rum for up to 12 hours from 10am before becoming verbally aggressive and offensive to a group of pub patrons.

Documents sighted by The Courier-Mail yesterday allege Mr Reedy became aggressive towards Corinne Mitchell after he was earlier warned to "settle down" and then asked by hotel staff to leave the premises.

The trio, in an affidavit lodged by their lawyers, claim Mr Reedy arrested Ms Mitchell after falsely accusing her of spitting on him and dragged her from the pub with his arm around her neck.

It is claimed Ms Robinson rushed to Ms Mitchell's aid in fear for her safety, but that Mr Reedy then pulled Ms Robinson's hair and then pulled her blouse off, partially exposing her breasts to hotel patrons.

Malcolm Mitchell was also detained and charged when he tried to help Ms Robinson.

The trio were all charged the following day, based on a complaint by Mr Reedy, and remanded in custody on charges of grievous bodily harm and assault causing bodily harm while in company.

Documents reveal Ms Mitchell was held in custody for 10 months and Ms Robinson for six weeks until they were released on bail.

All three were committed to stand trial until the Crown withdrew all charges three years ago.

The three are collectively suing Mr Reedy and the Queensland Government for $300,000 in general damages and $180,000 for aggravated damages.

Mr Mitchell is suing both for $30,000 in exemplary damages.

However, Mr Robinson and Ms Mitchell are suing only Mr Reedy for $150,000 in exemplary damages.

The three claim Mr Reedy's actions resulted in them being publicly "ridiculed and humiliated".

"(They all) suffered deprivation of liberty, outrage, humiliation, indignity, anxiety and distress," the court documents say.

A date has yet to be listed to hear the matter.

Quigley blasts Police Commissioner over 'litany of lies'

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February 17, 2011

WESTERN Australia's shadow attorney-general John Quigley has launched a blistering attack on the state's police commissioner for distributing what he calls "a litany of lies".

In state parliament, Mr Quigley criticised the role of Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan in "vilifying" an Aboriginal man who was tasered up to 41 times in a week by police and corrective services officers.

The behaviour of officers in arresting Kevin Spratt and his treatment at Perth lock-up was the subject of a Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) inquiry in December.

Mr Spratt's treatment came to light when a video was released last year of police tasering him 14 times while in custody at Perth Watchhouse on August 31, 2008.

Following the release of initial video, which pixellated Mr Spratt's face, WA police issued a flow chart to media outlining the events leading up his tasering and involvement with police, including charges previously brought against him.

Mr Quigley told parliament that when examined against police documents and evidence before the CCC, the flow chart was a "litany of lies".

He called on the government to get to the bottom of the creation of the document, which he said was compiled by the WA police internal affairs unit.

"What discussion (did they have) with Commissioner O'Callaghan and Deputy Commissioner (Chris) Dawson before they so willingly went out into a press conference selling these lies to the public of WA to vilify Kevin Spratt?" Mr Quigley told parliament.

"It is beyond imagination as to why they did it ... but it's got to mark them down as the worst commissioner and deputy commissioner in Australia by their conduct."

Mr Quigley told parliament Mr Spratt had complained to Mr O'Callaghan about his alleged vilification, but was told via a letter in October that police did not identify him.

He said that following the press conference in which Mr O'Callaghan released the flow chart, a Seven Network TV news crew went to the home of Mr Spratt's parents, who told them he was at work.

"The commissioner of police would want us to believe this eye-wash, that there was no communication with Channel Seven of the address or person ... that's just a lie," he said.

Mr Quigley said the flow chart stated Mr Spratt had acted violently and obstructed police at Perth lock-up before being tasered, and as a result had been charged over that behaviour.

However the CCC hearing in December was told Mr Spratt had not been violent and had been convicted on the basis of a misleading statement of facts.

"There's a day of reckoning coming," Mr Quigley said.

"The commissioner of police in this lie had the knees kicked from under him by his staff who went to the CCC one after the other and said he was calm at the watchhouse; he was not violent and was not resisting."

Mr Quigley accused Police Minister Rob Johnson of allowing WA police to vilify Mr Spratt and called on him to request a full explanation from Mr O'Callaghan.

Mr Johnson accused Mr Quigley of abusing parliamentary privilege and said he was "showboating" in front of an ABC documentary crew.

"It's the most disgraceful speech I have ever heard and which not only targets and defamed our senior police officer and many of them, but the whole of the WA police force," he told Fairfax Radio.

"I think they will be disgusted."

He said he would consider referring the matter to the parliamentary privileges committee.

Senior policeman sacked for dishonesty

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February 17, 2011 12:08PM

A SENIOR police officer has been sacked for smuggling booze into an alcohol-free community, dishonestly using property and giving police property to a private citizen

The Central Queensland senior sergeant, 44, was dismissed this morning.

An internal police review found he was dishonestly used property, trafficked alcohol into a community with a booze ban and gave police property to a private citizen.

While the details remain sketchy, police are expected to announce more details.

The sacking is the first for dishonest conduct this year.

It comes hot on the heels of a controversy marred 2010, in which multiple officers were suspended for drunken misconduct.

More serious breaches, including allegations of corruption inside Gold Coast police ranks were outlined in Operation Tesco.

Fake police officers stopping motorists

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February 16, 2011 4:43PM

FAKE police with flashing blue and red lights have pulled over four motorists in Brisbane.

A woman on York St, Coorparoo was stopped by the fake police on Monday at 11.10pm. A second woman was pulled over at 12.15am yesterday on Wellington St, Cleveland.

A third woman was pulled over at 12.30am on Ziegnefusz Rd at Thornlands.

A fourth woman was stopped at 1am on Robinson Rd, Aspley.

On three occasions, the male driver of a white Holden Commodore asked the women to hand over their driver's licence.

More than one man impersonating police was seen on two of the occasions.

While there was no attempt to assault any of the women, police are concerned that personal information may have been obtained.

One of the men was described as Caucasian, in his early 20s, with sandy, blond hair, unshaven and with a slight pot-belly.

The second was described as Caucasian, aged around 24, with curly dark blond hair, 1.8m tall and with a slim, toned build.

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

Police looking for anti-personnel mine missing after army exercise at Greenbank Training Area

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February 10, 2011

POLICE are attempting to locate an anti-personnel mine missing from in the Greenbank Training Area at Greenbank in Brisbane's south.

The matter was reported to police after the device - a Claymore mine - was identified as unaccounted for following an Army exercise in late January.

Authorities described the mine as a horizontally convex green plastic case supported by two pairs of scissor legs attached to the bottom.

The device is approximately 22cm long, 12cm high and 4cm wide and weighs approximately 1.5kg.

A Claymore mine is capable of firing hundreds of lethal ball bearings about 100 metres within a 60-degree arc.

If anyone finds the device, they should leave it in place and report the matter to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Senior WA cop Timothy Ralli faces trial on 172km/h speeding charge

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February 01, 2011

A WA Police officer alleged to have been driving at more than 70km/h above the speed limit last year will face trial next month.

Timothy Ralli appeared briefly in the Midland Magistrates Court this morning for a directions hearing on a charge of reckless driving.

Mr Ralli has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

It is alleged Mr Ralli was detected driving at 172km/h on the Tonkin Highway in Forrestfield in July last year.

Dressed in a suit and tie during today's hearing, the court heard that an expert who would test the laser device which allegedly detected Mr Ralli’s speed, would no longer be required by the defence.

The trial is expected to last two days and will begin in Midland Magistrates Court on March 11

Policeman on sex charges named

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THE identity of a policeman accused of having sex with a teenage shoplifter can now be revealed.

Sen-Constable Luke Donoghue, 34, faces 14 charges including using his position to procure a child for sex, sexual penetration of a child and supplying liquor to an under-age person.

Sen-Constable Donoghue's lawyers withdrew an application to suppress his name.

This week Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard the Cheltenham police officer took the 17-year-old to a nightclub and bought her 14 drinks before going back to his house for sex.

He allegedly asked her to wear a police shirt during sex and once took her to his parents' house to have sex.

The court was told Sen-Constable Donoghue first met the girl, who was pregnant at the time, when she was arrested for shoplifting.

After she was released, he allegedly rang the girl's father under the pretence of introducing her to programs for troubled teens.

Afterwards, they met for coffee and became friends on Facebook, the court heard.

Sen-Constable Donoghue, who is on bail and suspended from police duties, will appear in court again in February.

NSW cop shoots himself in leg

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December 11, 2010

A POLICE officer has accidentally shot himself at a NSW Central Coast police station.

He discharged a shot from his firearm, striking himself in the right leg, at 2.30pm (AEDT) on Friday at Toronto Police Station.

Acting Superintendent Darren Cox from the Lake Macquarie Local Area Command said the injured officer was treated at the scene by paramedics and then taken to John Hunter Hospital.

The 50-year-old senior constable attached to Lake Macquarie Local Area Command is in a stable condition, he said.

Officer injured in accidental shooting at Flinders St police centre

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February 03, 2011 8:32AM

UPDATE 12.28pm: A SENIOR constable has been injured after an unintentional shooting at Victoria Police's HQ.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the 31-year-old officer was shot at the Flinders St police centre about 8am today.

"A member has been injured in an unintentional discharge of a firearm," she said.

She said the male constable suffered non-life threatening injuries to his hand in the incident.

The officer was believed to be inside the Flinders Street building at the time, she said.

"It appears to be error rather than any issue or fault related to the firearm," the spokeswoman said.

An ambulance attended the scene and brought the officer to the Alfred Hospital.

The spokeswoman said the firearm was not one of the new semi-automatic Smith and Wesson pistols.

"The weapon involved was not part of the semi-automatic rollout," she said

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