A Victorian police officer has been acquitted of two counts of injuring a man in custody at a remote, eastern Victorian police station in 2017.
Sergeant Andrew David Scott was found not guilty of injuring Graham Boadel inside the Mallacoota police station interview room on September 14, 2017 by a county court jury sitting in Bairnsdale yesterday.
The court heard Mr Boadel's case against Sergeant Scott rested on the claim that Sergeant Scott had kicked Mr Boadel in the back and ribs during a fight at the police station.
Justice John Smallwood reminded the court that Mr Boadel's doctor had attributed the bruises to his back and ribs to a fall out of bed, days after the alleged assault.
Justice Smallwood also directed the jury to consider Sergeant Scott's 30 years of "unblemished" service in Victoria Police, alongside Mr Boadel's history of "making up allegations" about officers.
Case wraps up
The jury deliberated over lunch, then returned to deliver a verdict of not guilty.
Outside the court, Sergeant Scott thanked his family for their support during the protracted case.
"The support from the police association and my family has been incredible," he said.
"It just reflects the value of the jury system.
The court process was drawn out after the first committal hearing was aborted in February 2019 after a technical glitch resulted in the recording of the first day being lost.
Sergeant Scott was committed to stand trial in July 2019, but the trial was delayed by the pandemic.
