Dani Laidley reaches settlement with Victoria Police after photo leak scandal
Dani Laidley, who was seeking damages over leaked photos of her in custody, has reached a confidential settlement with Victoria Police.
Victoria
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Former North Melbourne coach Dani Laidley has reached a confidential settlement with Victoria Police after images of her in custody were leaked online.
Ms Laidley launched a civil suit against the state government in May last year claiming the police officers acted with malice and exposed her to humiliation and ridicule.
The former AFL coach had sought damages claiming she had been “brought into public ridicule and contempt” and had her reputation damaged after two images were circulated, initially within a What’s App group and then more widely on social media.
Victoria Police on Tuesday confirmed the matter had settled.
“By agreement of both parties to the litigation, the terms of settlement are confidential,’’ a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
“As per standard process, any discipline proceedings relevant to the members charged criminally will follow the conclusion of those criminal matters.”
The pictures were taken and shared by police officers following Laidley’s arrest over stalking in St Kilda in May 2020.
One picture showed her in police custody wearing a dress, long blonde wig and makeup.
The other image was a mugshot of her on a police computer screen.
In court documents filed in May 2020, Ms Laidley claimed Victoria Police failed in its duty to provide reasonable care for her “physical and psychological safety”.
It comes as earlier this month Detective Senior Constable Murray Gentner, one of the officers charged of the photo leak scandal, was acquitted of all charges.
Constable Gentner was found not guilty of misconduct by a public official, and accessing and disclosing police information without reasonable excuse by a magistrate who ruled prosecutors had failed to establish sufficient evidence.
Constable Gentner had been charged alongside two other officers – Senior Constable Shane Reid and Constable David Hall – following an internal investigation into how photos became public following Laidley’s arrest.
Snr Constable Reid and Constable Hall will contest the charges at court later this year.
Wheatbelt ire on proposed mines
More than half of Victoria is covered by mining exploration licenses, while the state’s wheatbelt farming families are fighting to stop projects going ahead.
Sneaky way junk food is being pitched to Vic kids
Cancer experts have raised the alarm after uncovering a “concerning” pattern in junk food adverts being located near dozens of Victorian schools and kids’ transport routes.