Sergeant on trial, charged with indecently assaulting colleague
A Queensland police sergeant allegedly admitted to an officer that he had grabbed a female colleague’s bottom, later asking her “did I overstep a line?”, a court has heard.
Moreton
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A senior Queensland police officer allegedly grabbed a female colleague’s bottom during a training exercise, later asking her “did I overstep a line?”, a court has heard.
Sergeant Jason Scott Renwick, 49, is on trial in the Brisbane District Court and has pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting the female officer during a training day last year.
Crown Prosecutor Brendan White told the court the alleged assault occurred during a training day involving a stairwell drill at Ithaca TAFE campus in Red Hill on February 6, 2019.
The drill involved officers passing another officer, who was in a cover position, and tapping or squeezing them on the shoulder or lower leg before announcing when the “last man” had run the exercise.
Mr White said that the young constable was covering other officers in the drill when she was assaulted by Sgt Renwick as he ran past her.
“He put his cupped hand on the underside of her right buttocks and squeezed it and said ‘last man’,” Mr White said.
“He then continued to walk past her while laughing and said ‘don’t hit me’”.
The court heard the young constable asked him “What the f---k was that?”
Later the Moreton Bay sergeant reportedly asked her “Did I overstep a line did I?” and she replied “Yes I’m okay, but it wasn’t okay”.
Mr White said two officers who witnessed the alleged assault would give evidence in the trial along with another junior constable who Sgt Renwick allegedly told he had “grabbed her a***…it was just a joke”.
The alleged victim is expected to take the stand today.
Mr White argued that the jury could find what he termed an “ill considered joke” as indecent assault so long as they believed Sgt Renwick had deliberately touched her on the buttock.
Sgt Renwick’s barrister Damian Walsh did not make an opening statement to the jury.
Judge Katherine McGinness is presiding over the trial which is expected to last three days.
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