Hero cop in Malcolm Naden arrest charged after drunken night out
A POLICE officer recognised for helping capture fugitive Malcolm Naden found himself on the wrong side of the law after a drunken night out.
NSW
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EVEN if you helped hunt down Australia’s most wanted fugitive, it’s not going to help you wriggle out of a drunken run-in with police.
Senior Constable Thomas McKinnon learnt the hard way late last year.
The decorated officer, who was awarded for helping track down murderer Malcolm Naden in 2012, was enjoying himself at a Christmas party in The Rocks on December 16 when the time came to move on.
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The 32-year-old had a few under his belt when he tried unsuccessfully to hail a taxi, police allegations outline.
Venting his frustrations, he almost ripped the side mirror off a cab before police arrived to calm the situation.
However, it was clear that McKinnon wasn’t going to make it easy for his fellow boys in blue.
He created such a kerfuffle he eventually had to be arrested.
In the Downing Centre Local Court this month, McKinnon was sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour bond for resisting arrest and damage or destroy property.
The 32-year-old has lodged an appeal against the sentence in the District Court.
McKinnon is still working in the police force.
Last year, he was presented with a Commissioner’s Unit Citation, one of the highest awards in the NSW Police force, for being part of Strike Force Durkin.
Naden was tracked down in rugged bushland west of Gloucester in March, 2012, after avoiding police and living rough, stealing food from bush huts and at one point hiding at the Dubbo zoo.