Former Nambucca police officer Travis Paul Pocock faces court charged with assault, tampering with evidence
A former Mid North Coast police officer has been charged with assault and tampering with evidence. Here’s how the case will proceed.
Police & Courts
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A former long-serving police officer now facing criminal charges had his bail conditions eased when he appeared in Coffs Harbour Local Court this week.
Travis Paul Pocock, of Nambucca Heads, was previously forbidden from contacting any former or current members of the NSW Police Force.
His lawyer previously argued it was an onerous condition because most of Pocock’s friends fell into that category.
Magistrate Ian Rodgers agreed to vary Pocock’s bail by consent on Tuesday.
Now, Pocock cannot contact any of 21 listed prosecution witnesses.
Pocock, 38, has pleaded not guilty to all charges: Four counts of common assault, and single charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, tamper with evidence with intent to mislead judicial tribunal, destroy or damage property and do act etc intending to pervert the course of justice.
A police officer for almost 20 years, Pocock is alleged to have punched a man in the back, causing him to fall into a barbed wire fence, before he emptied a bottle of capsicum spray into the man’s face, the court heard earlier this year.
It’s also alleged Pocock took an officer’s body-worn camera and stomped on it in a puddle.
Lawyer John Hennessey told Coffs Harbour court on October 11 that many of Pocock’s friends and family were either serving or ex-officers.
Mr Hennessey said that support network helped to keep Pocock “on the straight and narrow”.
He said Pocock’s separation was having an adverse impact on his mental health.
“It’s a very onerous condition, your honour,” Mr Hennessey said.
“Ninety per cent of his friends are current or former officers.”
Mr Hennessey told the court several of Pocock’s family members, including an uncle, are ex-police officers.
The charges against Pocock relate to a series of events which allegedly began in 2020, when he was a serving officer in the Nambucca region.
Pocock’s case was adjourned for mention on June 13 and for hearing on August 9 next year.
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