Police Constable Megan McNamara took picture of half naked dead man to show her boyfriend her bad day

A YOUNG Australian police constable is waiting to learn of her fate after taking a picture of a half naked dead man to show her boyfriend how bad her day was.

A FEMALE Australian police officer sent her partner a picture of a half naked dead man to show him how stressful her day had been.

Constable Megan McNamara captured the picture of the elderly man on her mobile phone in April last year while she and a colleague were investigating the man’s death, which was later found not to be suspicious.

Later that day her partner sent her a text message with a picture of a bolt that had broken while he was trying to repair a vehicle.

Constable McNamara replied with the picture of the man, who had been found with no pants on, with the message: “If it’s any consolation my day sucks too”.

A Newcastle court heard she simply wanted to show him the issues she was experiencing at work and did not intend to offer any indignity to the deceased.

She has been charged with offering an indignity to a corpse and using a carriage service to send offensive material.

McNamara has pleaded not guilty.

The court also heard sending the image was not offensive to a reasonable person although it was in poor taste.

Constable McNamara conceded material collected while she worked should be confidential and not shared by anyone outside the police force.

She said it was taken as evidence during the early stages of an investigation and sent for personal reasons, and not to cause offence to the deceased.

The judge hearing the matter will hand down his decision next month.

Originally published as Police Constable Megan McNamara took picture of half naked dead man to show her boyfriend her bad day