‘Happily married’: Former assistant police commissioner denies sex with Nicola Gobbo despite secret tape affair claim
Gangland barrister turned high-level police informer Nicola Gobbo claimed she had a sexual relationship with a Victoria Police assistant commissioner in a secretly recorded conversation — an allegation denied by the “happily married” man.
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Gangland barrister turned high-level police informer Nicola Gobbo claimed she had a sexual relationship with a Victoria Police assistant commissioner in a secretly recorded conversation.
Gobbo told two police officers, who were recording their conversation, that she had an “on and off” sexual relationship with then assistant commissioner Jeff Pope for a number of months.
Mr Pope, who has now retired from the police force, was in charge of Intelligence and Covert Support from about 2009 to 2011 and sat on the Petra investigation steering committees, which used Gobbo’s information.
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Mr Pope has submitted an affidavit denying Gobbo’s allegation, the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants has heard.
Gobbo was Mr Pope’s registered informant in 1999, as he investigated money laundering allegations against her former employer.
The commission heard yesterday that an earlier police handler, detective senior sergeant Tim Argall, had admitted to an “episode of physical intimacy” with Gobbo about a year after she had stopped officially providing him information.
The barrister told the two officers that she recognised Pope after seeing him on TV.
“Do you know who the Assistant Commissioner was who I only found out after the event, who was overseeing my handling when I was being looked after by Petra,” Gobbo told the officers in the recorded conversation.
“Was Jeff Pope for a while wasn’t it?
“Would you think it was appropriate if I had a sexual relationship with you that you looked after the committee? How’s that for you? Have a look at Boris’ face. I wish I had taken a photo of that.”
“I just think it is hilarious. Isn’t that inappropriate? Can you imagine the complaint I could make about that? I bet you he hasn’t declared it.”
“He would have been hoping, hoping and wondering every day has she said anything about it. Has she said something.”
Mr Pope said he stepped down from the Petra steering committee after she made the allegation, pending an investigation.
Petra taskforce was investigating the killing of police informer Terry Hodson and his wife Christine.
Mr Pope said he signed an affidavit which was circulated to senior police, including then Commissioner Simon Overland and his Deputy Ken Jones denying the allegation.
“The purpose of my affidavit was to clearly refute the allegation. An investigation was underway and I welcomed that investigation.”
Mr Pope was also Gobbo’s primary handler in 1999 as he investigated her former employer for money laundering allegations.
He said he had met with Gobbo on about six occasions and usually either with his supervisors or other police officers.
He said the pair had a chance meeting in late 2000 when he bumped into Gobbo at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and had a coffee at the Metropolitan Hotel.
He said after Gobbo complained that she was lonely and did not want to go on an overseas holiday alone, she propositioned him.
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“At the end of the conversation she asked whether our relationship was ever likely to develop into something more personal. I said no as I was happily married. As I recall that was the end of the conversation,” he said.
After serving at the Australian Crime Commission Mr Pope went back to Victoria Police in September 2009 to head up the Intelligence and Covert Support Services.
He was in charge of Gobbo’s handlers who she was providing information to about her gangland clients from 2005 to 2009.
He said if a sexual relationship had ever occurred with Gobbo, he would never have gone back to Victoria Police.
Pope is now the deputy commissioner of the Australian Electoral Commissioner after leaving the force in 2013.