A former police officer in Gippsland will stand trial after allegedly abusing his position of power and acting inappropriately with women seeking help in Victoria.
Simon Gloster today appeared in the Bairnsdale Magistrates Court for a committal hearing accused of misconduct as a police officer towards six women who presented at Bairnsdale Police Station during 2019 seeking assistance.
The former section sergeant has been charged with six counts of misconduct without a reasonable excuse relating to the alleged misappropriation of power.
Charges relate to allegedly improperly threatening to arrest a person, requesting intimate photographs, improperly requesting to view tattoos and intimate scars, refusing to delete photographs, improper contact and improperly attending a complainant's house.
The court heard that in some cases Mr Gloster took over investigations concerning the women from other police officers.
"From the moment [Mr] Gloster deals with [the women] the contact becomes inappropriate," prosecutor Marcel White said.
"[Mr Gloster] insinuates himself into an investigation, uses the cover of doing genuine police work, and then asks them about their body parts."
Mr Gloster's defence lawyer Christopher Wareham told the magistrate that Mr Gloster should be discharged from all remaining charges.
"While the conduct may be regarded as inappropriate, it's not so inappropriate as to enliven the jurisdiction of the criminal law," he said.
Mr Gloster was bailed and will appear in the Melbourne County Court for a directions hearing on December 8.
