Detective challenges charges related to leaking of custody photos of former AFL coach Dani Laidley
A detective is continuing to challenge charges related to the leaking of custody photos of former AFL coach Dani Laidley.
Laidley’s mug shot and another of her in an interview room wearing a blond wig and dress were shared among police and on social media following her arrest in May 2020.
Det Sr Const Murray Gentner faced Melbourne magistrates court on Thursday where his lawyer, Tony Hargreaves, said the matter had “not resolved and I doubt will resolve”.
Gentner is facing six charges including accessing and disclosing police information and wilful misconduct in public office.
It’s alleged Gentner accessed details relating to Laidley’s arrest at the offices of the Port Phillip criminal investigations unit and shared it with several unnamed people from his Keilor Lodge home.
It’s alleged he shared details including Laidley’s photo, custody number and the fact of her remand overnight.
He’s also accused of relaying details of charges against Laidley, the alleged victim and her address, and made references to Laidley as “now a full-blown ice head and tranny”.
Charge sheets detail claims Gentner disclosed information including “He’s fried. Dressing like a tranny” and “He’s on the ice pretty bad apparently”.
The documents allege Gentner shared the information contrary to his duty not to disclose public information.
His case has been adjourned to be heard alongside the case of another officer, Shane Reid, who is also facing charges over the photo leak.
Hargreaves said the central issue of both cases was whether the prosecution could identify the duty it was alleged the officers had breached.
Prosecutor Neill Hutton said while the circumstances of the case were the same, the allegations against the two men were different. Both cases are scheduled to return to court on 8 October.
Several other officers are also facing criminal charges while Victoria police’s internal discipline board has ordered 11 officers, ranking from constable to sergeant, to pay up to $3,000 each to Laidley out of their own pockets. A civil suit has also been filed in Victoria’s supreme court.