Former cop Andrew Allan Jaunay hears from teenage victim he assaulted in 2013

A young man has told the on-duty SA Police officer who assaulted him in the streets how a brief “power trip” has continued to haunt him for eight years.

A former police officer who was found guilty of assaulting a teenage boy, has heard how his victim feared for his life and hasn’t been the same since he was assaulted on the street.

Matthew Odgers, now 21, gave a victim impact statement as Andrew Allan Jaunay stood in the dock in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

“Before the evening of September 10 2013 I was an outgoing, confident and sociable person, attending school and spending time with family and friends,” Mr Odgers said.

“After that evening where I was stopped by Jaunay, he approached me and proceeded to assault, taunt and threaten me I have not been the same person since.

Andrew Allan Jaunay leaves the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, February 16. Picture: Jason Katsaras

“I have been raised to believe that police are there to protect you and that they are people I can trust, so this was a confusing time for me.”

Mr Odgers said he had developed post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety after the incident which made it difficult to gain his drivers licence, to seek and maintain employment and to attend and finishing school.

He said his mother who arrived on the scene partly witnessing the attack was also impacted.

“I suffer symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts, night terrors, social isolation, affecting my concentration, forming relationships,” he said.

“Mr Jaunay was insulting towards mum, I can see this was extremely upsetting for mum, she could see I was injured.

“She sacrificed her full time job in 2015 for me, I feel like she has had to put her life on hold for me, she attends the shops with me and attends appointments etc, she hasn’t been able to live her life.”

Addressing Jaunay, Mr Odgers said the ‘power trip’ he was on that night may have been brief, but it had a lasting impact eight year impact.

“Mr Jaunay, as a result of your actions, unprofessional conduct and abuse of power, while in a moment of self gratification, you destroyed a teenage boy’s life, my life.

“You took from me my freedom, trust, self confidence, education, youth and ability to function on a day-to-day basis.”

Jaunay, 43, of Morphettville, and Sean Gregory Hobbs, 34, of Torrensville, pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault causing harm.

In November, Jaunay was found guilty while Mr Hobbs was acquitted.

Prosecutors alleged Jaunay slapped Mr Odgers, then 17, to the ground after finding a drug pipe in his possession during a stop and search in Whyalla Stuart in October 2013.

Mr Odgers’ mobile phone recorded both the incident and several comments made by a male voice.

The voice, allegedly that of Jaunay, said: “Now if you want to tell your mum that we f***ing belted you, guess what, go right ahead … we will say we didn’t do it.”

It also said: “Your choice, you want to be a big man and play with the big boys, you can play … just remember I ain’t going anywhere, pal … I’m an old man, I’ll hunt you down.”

The same voice told Mr Odgers’ mother: “If you believe that I’m assaulting people on the side of the road, that I would do that to a child in the street, you must have rocks in your head.”

Mr Odgers told the trial it was “a miracle” his phone recorded the incident.

Counsel for Jaunay, however, said Mr Odgers “distorts the truth” depending on “which way the wind is blowing”.

Matthew Odgers. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Mr Jaunay was found guilty. Picture: David Mariuz

On Wednesday, Jaunay’s lawyer said his client suffers from post traumatic stress disorder stemming from years of work as a regional police officer.

“At one point he had to respond to 17 suicides in one month,” she said.

“He says in the course of two years of his life he dealt with 50 suicides.

“He dealt with dead babies and had to transport bodies in his vehicle.

“These are the sorts of things he would have to deal with daily, meanwhile he was under relentless pressure from the hierarchy to solve crimes.

“One evening while working in Cowan, the locals came to his house which was the police station, and reported that his relieving officer was getting bashed in the street and drowned in the gutter, and he had to attend that incident.”

Magistrate Ben Sale said there had been a complete absence of offending behaviour since the incident.

“Not only has there not been offending, but from what I read there was exemplary police work,” Mr Sale said.

The prosecutor did not oppose a suspended sentence.

Jaunay will face the Adelaide Magistrates Court in March for sentencing.