Police officer accused of digitally raping woman on dancefloor

A police officer remained on duty for 18 months after being accused of digitally raping a woman while dressed as Frozen character Elsa for his own buck’s party.

The accused officer continued in plainclothes duties. (File picture)

A police officer accused of digitally raping a woman on the dancefloor at his buck’s party, while he was dressed as the Frozen character Elsa, continued in his job 18 months after the alleged incident.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the senior constable kept working despite the allegations being made by the woman a day after the alleged nightclub incident last year.

Rather than being suspended on full pay, the officer was stood down from operational duties but continued to work in plain clothes in his station around colleagues, until he was charged with rape and three counts of sexual assault on Monday.

The officer will appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court next month.

It is understood some of the officer’s station colleagues were out with him on the night of the alleged rape.

It is unclear why it took more than 18 months for him to be charged.

The officer, wearing a long dress and blonde wig at his buck’s party, is alleged to have spoken to the woman and her group of friends earlier in the night and posed for selfies with the women.

The group allegedly referred to the officer as “Elsa” in reference to the character from Disney’s Frozen movie.

The woman alleges the officer digitally raped her while on the dancefloor of the nightclub in the early hours of the following day.

She reported the incident to security at the time and the following day she reported the matter to local police.

The officer was on Monday charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to the woman, and two counts of sexual assault relating to a second woman, in an alleged incident that night.

The officer has been suspended.

It is unclear why the Queensland Police Service investigation took 18 months, or why the officer was at no time suspended from his role as the investigation progressed.

The case has raised questions as to whether police officers should be suspended on full pay, rather than being stood down and continuing to work with colleagues when facing serious allegations.

Speaking generally about complaints against police, Queensland Sexual Assault Network executive officer Angela Lynch said the commission of inquiry into police responses to domestic violence had recommended an independent integrity unit be set up to investigate police complaints last year.

“These are the issues that you would want that integrity unit to consider, if it is an independent body they are making the determinations rather than internal police decision-making,” she said.

“They would make the determination about what should happen, pending certain outcomes, about what happens to that officer pending the determination of criminal charges or internal investigation.”

When asked about the allegations last week, the QPS declined to answer a number of questions about why the officer was allowed to continue in his job around his colleagues while being subject to a serious criminal allegation.

“This matter remains under investigation by Ethical Standards Command and is subject to the internal QPS disciplinary process therefore specific commentary on the matter cannot be provided at this time,” a spokesman said last week.

“The allegations are also subject to an ongoing criminal investigation.

“The QPS can confirm that the officer subject of these allegations remains stood down from official duties while this process is being undertaken.

“Investigations of this nature can be protracted due to the complexities involved in conducting extensive and thorough inquiries.”

Police Minister Mark Ryan was asked about the charges on Tuesday morning, including why the officer continued to work in the service amid the allegations.

Mr Ryan said: “Those are police discipline matters”.

“When complaints are raised there are things that have to follow proper process I understand that the matter is before the Ethical Standards Command and that the officer has been charged - ultimately those matters need to be determined by the courts and Ethical Standards Command.”

Originally published as Police officer accused of digitally raping woman on dancefloor