NSW Police officer Geoffrey David Cook admits assaulting teen in custody
A police officer has admitted to ‘kick pushing’ a teen in the chin while he was in his holding cell at Bowral police station.
The Bowral News
Don't miss out on the headlines from The Bowral News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A NSW police officer has admitted to assaulting a teenager in custody at Bowral Police Station more than four years ago.
Geoffrey David Cook, 52, appeared in Moss Vale Local Court on Monday after pleading guilty to common assault.
The Currawang resident was working at Bowral Police Station on the night of June 2, 2017, when a teen was arrested for serious assault and affray, according to court documents.
The teenager was being held in the police dock, where court documents state his behaviour was “extremely aggressive, abusive and threatening”.
According to the documents, Cook decided to move the offender into a holding cell after he had been disturbing the station for a while. The court heard the teen was moved into a cell but continued to abuse and threaten the police officers, even spitting in Cook’s face as he tried to remove another offender from the cell.
After being spat on, court documents reveal Cook pushed the teen away and he fell back into the wall and onto a bed. According to court documents, Cook told the teenager to sit down on the bed and tried to walk away from the cell but he continued to hurl abuse at the police officer.
Police facts show he spat at Cook a second time.
Cook decided to “push kick” the teen to create space between them for him to be able to leave the cell, according to court documents. Unfortunately, just as he struck out with his leg, the police facts state the teen sat down on the bed and copped Cook’s force to his chin and bottom lip.
In a statement about the incident a year later, Cook said he was concerned the teen would attack him if he turned to leave the cell area. Despite his eventual guilty plea, the police facts state Cook believes he used the necessary amount of force in the situation.
Magistrate Douglass found Cook guilty but did not record a conviction, instead imposing a year-long conditional release order. He also ordered Cook to continue to participate in counselling and interventions as directed.
According to court documents, Cook is now employed at the Goulburn Police Station.
Jury delivers verdict in floodwater double manslaughter trial
A Sydney man has been found not guilty of manslaughter following the deaths of two friends, who were washed into regional floodwaters after standing on the back of a ute.
Johns/Daley Cup: Top-10 talking points from round one
There were fast starts, epic comebacks and telepathic connections. Check out the top-10 talking points from round one of the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups.