Melbourne Magistrates Court: Marcus Thomas suspended PSO allegedly tried to dupe court after grooming allegations

A PSO who is facing grooming allegations allegedly tried to trick the court into letting him back into an area he wasn’t allowed.

Marcus Thomas of Coburg faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday where it was decided he would face a five day trial in the County Court for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

A Victoria Police PSO who is facing allegations relating to child grooming will stand trial after pleading not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Marcus Thomas, of Coburg, faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday where it was decided he would face a five-day trial in the County Court for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Mr Thomas was working as a PSO in Melbourne’s northeast when he was suspended over an alleged grooming incident.

As a result, he was banned from going within 200m of the Hurstbridge area.

In October 2022. Mr Thomas allegedly struck up a friendship with a young male on Grindr.

The pair spoke for a few months and met up on a few occasions.

The young man had told Mr Thomas he was studying a postgraduate diploma in psychology.

In February this year Mr Thomas allegedly asked the young man to sign a document acting as his psychologist that would allow him to visit the Hurstbridge area.

The matter involved allegedly varying a personal safety intervention order and Magistrate Brett Sonnet said Mr Thomas knew what he was doing in trying to get a court to make the variation.

“It is plain and evident what he was trying to do,” he said.

Mr Thomas was also facing a charge of misconduct in public office but Mr Sonnet struck out the charge, citing there wasn’t enough evidence his behavior was linked to his role as a PSO.