Christopher Barnden allegedly assaulted woman at Garden State Hotel
An off-duty body builder cop allegedly assaulted a woman at a CBD watering hole after raucous night of drinking at a bucks party.
South East
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A muscle-bound off duty police officer allegedly assaulted a woman at a bucks party that kicked on at a popular Melbourne pub.
Senior Constable Christopher Barnden, 31 — who also coaches bodybuilders — appeared at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with recklessly causing injury and reckless conduct endangering serious injury.
The alleged incident occurred at a bucks party which ended up at the Garden State Hotel on Flinders Lane where it’s alleged the woman was assaulted by Mr Barnden.
The court heard that Mr Barnden allegedly left a woman with a glass injury to her thigh, with his lawyer telling the court it has been “unfairly characterised as a glassing”.
“We may all have instances where a glass shatters and cuts occur,” he said.
The woman who was allegedly assaulted will be cross-examined to determine whether she is a “reliable and credible” witness.
The court heard she was unable to leave her home due to the injury and anxiety from the alleged incident.
Though this was contested, with another witness claiming the alleged victim messaged them a week later asking to “go out drinking and dancing”.
Magistrate Donna Bakos granted both the prosecution and defence leave to cross-examine the woman, saying “she’s the only witness who gives evidence as to who caused her injury to her”.
Mr Barnden has been charged with recklessly causing injury and reckless conduct endangering serious injury.
Mr Barnden is also highly regarded in Melbourne’s elite fitness community and coaches men and women to compete on the international bodybuilding stage.
His professional Instagram account, followed by more than 2.5K users, also promoted his work as a nutritionist and showed off his muscular physique.
“Nothing worth having comes easy. Putting in the work every day with no regrets,” his latest post reads.
Ms Bakos adjourned the matter for a committal hearing on August 11.
