Police reject bashing claims
TWO of the four police officers caught on CCTV footage “beating” a man in the basement of the Surfers Paradise police station in January 2012 have been accused of violence on multiple occasions, a court has heard.
Both officers have now retired and none of the allegations were substantiated.
The revelations came on the second day of the trial of former high ranking Gold Coast police officer Rick Flori.
Flori, 47, has pleaded not guilty in Southport District Court to two counts of misconduct for allegedly leaking footage of the incident to media.
The footage shows police arresting Noa Begic and during a struggle punching him six times to the head, kneeing him, and an officer washing blood off the cement.
The court heard former Senior Sergeant David Joachim, the district duty officer and senior officer at the scene, had been investigated for six alleged incidents.
Defence barrister Saul Holt told the court one of those instances included accusations Mr Joachim hit a prisoner with a pair of handcuffs.
Mr Joachim said he did not remember any of the allegations or them being investigated by the Queensland Police Ethical Standards Command.
Former Senior Constable Robert Johnston, one of the officers who arrested Mr Begic, is seen in the footage helping restrain him.
Mr Holt asked Mr Johnston, who retired in February last year, about when he was given managerial guidance and chastened in 2009 for allegedly punching and kneeing a prisoner.
“It was part of your practice to give prisoners the bashing on occasion,” Mr Holtz asked. Mr Johnston denied that. Earlier in the day, Mr Joach- im denied he was involved in any cover up.
“That’s the way you deal with these things in Surfers Paradise,” Mr Holt asked. “You cover them up with staff.”
Mr Joachim denied the allegation. “No,” he said.
The court heard Mr Joachim interviewed Mr Begic about the incident despite being present at the time it occurred.
Flori’s former college Helen Joachim told the court she overheard Flori talking to other officers about her husband, Mr Joachim, who had just been promoted to district duty officer and was present for the incident on the footage.
Flori had also applied for the job.
“He said that (Mr Joachim) should not have been promoted and (Flori) should have been promoted,” Mrs Joachim said.
She also told the court that she heard Flori saying her husband had far less experience than Flori.
“He said David was the chosen one,” she said.
The Crown have alleged Flori released the tape due to professional jealousy.
The trial will continue tomorrow.