Police officer Paul Medulla defends assault charges

A highway patrol officer has denied assaulting a drug-affected child who was arrested over allegations of stealing a car and causing a police pursuit in Sydney’s west.

Highway Patrol senior constable Paul Medulla at Parramatta Local Court. Picture: Eliza Barr

A highway patrol officer accused of assaulting a child accused of stealing a car and leading police on a protracted pursuit has denied doing anything other than what he was trained to do in an arrest, a court has heard.

Paul Medulla, 34, was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm and common assault in relation to an arrest at Seven Hills in Sydney’s west in August 14 last year.

Medulla has pleaded not guilty to both charges and is defending them at hearing before Magistrate David Price at Parramatta Local Court.

Bodyworn footage of the incident – in which a child was arrested over allegations he had stolen a car, led police on a pursuit, crashed it and then fled – was played to the court on Monday.

The footage shows a uniformed officer whose face is not shown with his knee on the back of the child’s neck, before his boot briefly makes contact with back of the child’s head as he walks away.

Highway Patrol senior constable Paul Medulla at Parramatta Local Court.

“Hands behind your back,” someone is heard to say in the footage, while an officer holds his knee down on the back of the child’s head.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the child says in a tone of distress.

“Don’t bite, do not bite,” the officer says, before the child says “I’m not biting”.

“Do not try and bite me again,” the officer continues, as the child responds “OK officer, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m not even doing nothing, please”.

As the officer lifts his knee off the child’s neck and moves to walk away, his boot taps the back of the child’s head.

Parramatta Local Court.

Defence solicitor Paul McGirr examined Medulla about the incident in court.

“Did you purposefully pick him up and drop him on his head?” Mr McGirr asked Medulla.
“No,” Medulla responded.

“Did you use your knee in a way you had been trained to?” Mr McGirr continued.

“Yes,” Medulla said, explaining officers were trained to put their knee in the crook of an arrested person’s neck to effect “pain compliance” and stop them from resisting.

Medulla also told the court he suspected the child was under the influence of drugs because he was quite physically “little” but showing an “odd” degree of strength.

Paul Medulla was on highway patrol when he allegedly assaulted a child.

“Did you intentionally try and drop down with your knee or cause him any pain?” Mr McGirr asked.

“When he was not complying with my directions, I placed a bit of pressure on his neck,” Medulla responded.

“I tapped him with my boot, he raised his head again as I was walking over, and then he said ‘I’m sorry I’ll keep my head down’.”

Medulla denied causing the child any injuries during the arrest.

The hearing will continue on Tuesday.