Policemen Andrew Jaunay and Sean Hobbs face trial over alleged assault of 17-year-old boy
Two police officers allegedly choked and slapped a 17-year-old Whyalla boy to the ground in 2013 during a stop and search, a court has heard.
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A then 17-year-old Whyalla boy was slapped to the ground by one police officer and strangled by another in a late-night altercation, a court has heard.
Andrew Allan Jaunay, 42, and Sean Gregory Hobbs, 33, are facing trial in Adelaide Magistrates Court for the alleged October 2013 assaults of Matthew Odgers, following years of delayed legal proceedings.
Both are charged with aggravated assault causing harm. They have both pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution contends that Jaunay, of Morphettville, and Hobbs’, of Torrensville, alleged assaults are aggravated because they abused their power as police officers.
Opening the prosecution case on Thursday, Andrew Fowler-Walker told the court that Mr Odgers had been walking in Whyalla Stuart to meet a friend at about 9.30pm when he was spotted by on-duty police officers Jaunay and Hobbs.
He said Mr Odgers, who was a few doors down from his friend’s house, had called his mother to ask her to pick him and his friend up.
While he was waiting, Mr Fowler-Walker said, Jaunay and Hobbs physically searched Mr Odgers.
He said Jaunay then became aggressive and, when asked by Mr Odgers if he could leave, swore and said he could not leave until he was told.
According to Mr Fowler-Walker, Jaunay went on to say words to the effect of he was a “little boy” and “you’re lucky I don’t just belt you in the head with my torch”.
He said Jaunay slapped Mr Odgers across the face shortly after, with enough force to fell him to the ground, hitting his head on the concrete.
After taking a call from his mother, Mr Fowler-Walker said, Mr Odgers was grabbed by the hand by Hobbs, with his other hand on Mr Odgers throat demanding the phone.
“On the prosecution case, he’s squeezing his throat, then with both hands he pushes him to the ground on to his back with both hands around his neck,” Mr Fowler-Walker said.
He said Mr Odgers was “lifted off the ground and slammed down” and Hobbs continued to “squeeze and choke” him, swearing at him and telling him to “shut his mouth”.
When Mr Odgers mother arrived, Mr Fowler-Walker said, she thought Jaunay was “aggressive and pumped full of adrenaline”.
He said Jaunay then told Mr Odgers would “work out that we’d be liars” if he told his mother about the alleged assaults because “we’ll say we didn’t do it”.
Anthony Allen, for Hobbs, told the court his client did not do “anything like” what was alleged and the court could “never be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt” of the alleged assault.
The trial, before Magistrate Ben Sale, continues.
