Senior Constable Dean Valesini to fight assault charges after 92-year-old’s arm fractured during arrest: court

A senior officer fighting charges laid at the insistence of the police commissioner was responding to a call alleging a domestic violence attack when the incident occurred, prosecutors will allege.

Ron Hodge, 92, who was allegedly assaulted by two police officers when they were called to a domestic violence incident at his Picton home in January. Jane Dempster/Daily Telegraph.

A senior NSW police officer will fight criminal charges levelled at him after he allegedly fractured the arm of a 92-year-old man while arresting and handcuffing him at a home in Picton earlier this year.

Senior Constable Dean George Valesini and his partner, Constable James Thompson, attended the home of Ronald Hodge on January 21 after Mr Hodge’s wife made two calls in seven minutes alleging a domestic violence attack.

It is alleged Mrs Hodge has dementia — a matter allegedly not disclosed to the triple-0 operators at the time, police have said.

Prosecutors will allege in court that Valesini and Thompson assaulted the nonagenarian while placing handcuffs on him following his arrest at the scene.

Mr Hodge suffered a fractured elbow and bruising during the incident as the officers attempted to restrain him, according to police.

Mr Hodge, 92, had has arm fractured during the incident, which resulted in police laying assault charges against two serving cops. Jane Dempster/Daily Telegraph.

He was not charged and there is no suggestion he engaged in any wrongdoing.

While the incident happened on January 21, it was not until June 13 that the details were made public by Commissioner Karen Webb at a press conference.

The Daily Telegraph previously revealed the case was the subject of a review by the force’s Operational Safety Tactics and Governance Command, which did not identify any wrong doing by the two officers, however an internal legal team suggested the two men be charged.

The decision to lay assault occasioning actual bodily harm charges against both men was then made by an Assistant Commissioner, angering rank and file officers and leading to a wave of protests voiced through the police union.

Earlier this month, the Telegraph revealed at least six local branches of the Police Association of NSW had passed motions attacking the decision and calling on Commissioner Webb to make clear how officers are meant to deal with vulnerable people.

“This branch acknowledges these matters are before the court, however we express extreme disappointment that charges have been preferred, even after expert advice was received from Operational Safety Tactics and Governance Command, confirming these members had acted within NSW Police guidelines and training during this incident,” a motion from one branch read.

“(We) call for urgent clarification from the Commissioner of Police on expectations for our members while dealing with vulnerable persons, who are violent. If this expectation differs in any way to current policy and training the branch calls for that training to be expedited,” read another.

Valesini’s case was briefly mentioned in Campbelltown Local Court on Tuesday by his lawyer, Michael Burns, who entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf.

Valesini was not required to turn up to court and chose not to, with Ms Burns confirming there were no bail conditions attached to the charge.

The case will be prosecuted by a special unit within the Director of Public Prosecutions that deals with matters involving police officers.

The case was adjourned for almost two months for investigators to serve their evidence on Valesini’s legal team.

Thompson is due to face the same court for the first time next Tuesday. He is yet to enter a plea.