Victoria Police Commander Stuart Bateson charged by IBAC over information leak
One of Victoria’s top police officers — a respected Valour award winner who was a central character in the television series Underbelly — has been charged by the anti-corruption watchdog with leaking information.
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A hero cop credited with helping solve the gangland war will fight serious corruption charges over the alleged leaking of police secrets.
Commander Stuart Bateson — a decorated officer who inspired a character in the TV series, Underbelly — was suspended after charges were laid by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission.
The rising star of the force, often used as its public face, will “vigorously defend” the three counts of disclosing a restricted matter.
The nature of the leaks is not known, nor who the recipient was.
Colleagues of the 32-year veteran, who played a key role in the police offensive during Melbourne’s gangland conflict, have been left stunned by the IBAC development.
“He’s very well regarded. He’s had a great career,” a source said.
“He’s a bloke who’s done a hell of a lot for policing.”
The charging last week of Mr Bateson continues a period of extreme turbulence for Victoria Police.
Assistant Commissioner Brett Guerin quit early last year after inappropriate messages he had posted online were revealed.
The force is also dogged by the Lawyer X scandal and a corruption inquiry into police conduct during the Silk-Miller murder investigation.
There also have been dramas over falsified breath-testing and allegations of brutality by officers.
Mr Bateson has sought help from the Police Association over the leaking investigation. “Commander Bateson intends to vigorously defend the charges,” an association spokesman said.
Mr Bateson, who became a policeman in 1987, is widely respected having served in many areas of the force.
He won a Valour Award for a high-risk arrest of an armed burglar in Essendon in 1991.
He has served in counter-terrorism and homicide areas and was on the Purana Taskforce at the height of Melbourne’s gangland war.
He investigated some of the biggest underworld names and drug boss Carl Williams was, at one stage, charged with threatening to kill him.
Underbelly character Steve Owen, played by Rodger Corser, was based on Mr Bateson.
He recently led the force’s Priority Communities Division and played a key role in the African-Australian Community Taskforce, which has been trying to curb youth offending.
In 2017, Mr Bateson was awarded the Australian Police Medal.
He will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on July 4.
Mr Bateson was due to give evidence at the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants next week. It is unclear whether the charges will affect that appearance.
It has been reported lawyer-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo gave thousands of pieces of information to Mr Bateson.
More to come