Suspended cop accused of making false complaints against colleague as ‘revenge’

A police officer is alleged to have made several false complaints about colleagues in revenge for 20 of his workmates having “fun” watching CCTV footage of him having a row with his gay cop lover.

Lawyer Lesly Randle with Const Cole at Downing Centre court on Thursday. Picture: Liam Driver

Exclusive: A police officer is alleged to have made several false complaints about colleagues in revenge for 20 of his workmates having “fun” watching CCTV footage of him having a row with his gay cop lover.

Suspended Constable Shaun Cole, 39, has admitted he lodged three “anonymous” complaints against one of the officers, Senior Constable Cameron Adams, alleging bullying and sexual harassment involving a paper spider, urinating and whether one colleague was a “screamer in the bedroom”.

A still from the video tendered in court of Senior Constable Cameron Adams, which was accompanied by background laughter.

But the complaints backfired when senior officers found none of them were substantiated and Const Cole ­became the first police officer in the state to be charged with “reprisal without substance” which carries a maximum sentence of a year in jail.

If convicted, he stands to be sacked.

Const Cole’s barrister, Lesly Randle, on Thursday told Downing ­Centre Local Court — including five of Const Cole’s former workmates from Kogarah Police Station — he stood by the complaints, which were dismissed as ­office banter and pranks.

Const Adams at Downing Centre on Thursday. Picture: Liam Driver

The court heard it sprang from a domestic dispute in January 2017 between Cole and his then-long-term partner, homicide detective Senior Constable Cameron Bignell.

CCTV footage showed Const Cole on the boot of an unmarked police car in the carpark of their Wolli Creek apartment block, from which Const Bignell reversed.

A ­triple-O call said an off-duty ­officer had been run over.

When Const Cole learned 20 of his workmates, including Const Adams, had watched the footage he was “ropeable” and lodged a mass complaint.

“He looks like he’s riding on a magic carpet,” was how one of the officers described the drama, the court was told.

Senior Constable Caroline Stein, Constable Dominic Donduzo and Constable Jennifer Walsh leave Downing Centre Local Court after giving evidence in the case involving their colleague Shaun Cole. Picture: Liam Driver

Action was taken against 14 officers, ­including Const Adams, for professional misconduct over “inconsiderate and ­insensitive behaviour”.

Const Adams reported a conversation between him and Const Cole because he believed Const Cole was “corrupt” when he offered to leave Const Adams out of it if Const Adams did not tell the others about the complaint.

Then in March and April last year, three complaints were lodged against Const Adams, all of them similar and all dismissed.

They alleged that Const Adams had made inappropriate comments about how Senior Constable Kelly Pinkerton, who was in a relationship with Constable Dominic Donduzo, “performs in bed and if she is a screamer”, that he had asked Constable Jennifer Walsh “how she pissed and how it would sound when she peed” and scared her with a printout of a spider when she hates spiders.

Lawyer Lesly Randle said her client Const Cole was standing by his allegations. Picture: Liam Driver

Const Walsh gave evidence that she “freaked out” over the spider picture but “laughed off” comments about “weeing”.

Const Pinkerton said she had been told Const Adams asked if she “moaned” in bed but had not been offended.

Const Donduzo said Const. Adams had never asked him any sexual questions about Const. Pinkerton.

Const Adams denied “making fun” of Const Cole’s homosexuality by rubbing his bottom and asking: “Do you want to f. k it?”

When Ms Randle tendered a short video showing Const Adam in uniform ­caressing the left cheek of his bottom with laughter in the background, he said he could not remember doing that but denied it was meant in any adverse way.

The hearing continues.