Queensland police officer accused of indecently touching female colleague blames 'workplace accident'

A police officer accused of indecently touching a female colleague by grabbing her bottom during a training exercise says it was a “workplace accident” and he immediately apologised.

Jason Scott Renwick, 49, pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault over the alleged incident at a Brisbane training facility in February 2019.

The exercise on a staircase involved officers passing another officer in a cover position and tapping or squeezing them on the shoulder or thigh, crown prosecutor Brendan White earlier told the jury on Tuesday.

The final officer was also required to say “last man”.

White alleged Renwick “put his cupped hand on the underside of her right buttock and squeezed it” before saying “last man”.

“He then continued to walk past her while laughing and said ‘Don’t hit me’,” the prosecutor said. The woman allegedly responded by saying: “What the fuck was that?”

But Renwick said he reached out to touch the woman while looking ahead.

“As soon as I made contact I realised I had made contact with the bottom half of her buttocks towards the top of her hamstring,” the officer told the Brisbane district court. “I’ve immediately said ‘Sorry, don’t hate me’.”

Renwick said he also gave a “nervous laugh” because he was embarrassed.

“At no time did I intentionally touch [her] on the buttocks,” he told the jury. “There was a workplace accident where I’ve accidentally touched her on the lower side of the buttock trying to do a workplace training exercise.”

Renwick told the court he was sorry the woman was upset by the incident. “I am sorry for the damage I caused, but it was an accident and nothing more,” he said.

He denied saying he later asked the woman if he overstepped a line. He told the court she said two colleagues were “making waves” about the incident.

“I was upset by this because it was an accident on the day and now I’ve got two staff trying to cause trouble,” Renwick said.

The trial continues before Judge Katherine McGinness.

Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP Police officer Jason Scott Renwick has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault after being accused of indecently touching a female colleague at a Brisbane training facility in February 2019.