Danielle Laidley says police have failed to learn from leaked photo

North Melbourne icon Danielle Laidley reveals why she’s taking a stand against police over Ballan races photo that mocked her.

North Melbourne icon Danielle Laidley has revealed she is still dealing with the crippling emotional toll of police allegedly photographing her at a race day at Geelong in 2021, and mocking her with transphobic comments.

The Herald Sun on Friday revealed Ms Laidley’s lawyers this week filed a writ in the Supreme Court alleging Victoria Police officers sought to “invite and expose (her) to humiliation and ridicule” when they circulated images of her at the Ballan Cup last year.

Speaking exclusively to the Herald Sun, Ms Laidley said: “The emotional toll of the Ballan Cup incident has been, and still is, crippling for my family and myself.”

Danielle Laidley says Victoria Police haven’t learnt their lesson from an earlier photo leak.

She also said she was taking legal action because it was clear to her Victoria Police “haven’t learnt from the previous incident” in which she was notoriously photographed while in custody at the St Kilda police station.

“This is not acceptable,” she said.

Ms Laidley and Victoria Police reached a confidential financial settlement in March, stemming from an the earlier incident.

Victoria Police is yet to be served with Ms Laidley’s most recent writ, but a spokesman told the Herald Sun the agency planned to vigorously defend the case.

“This matter was extensively investigated at the time and no evidence was found to suggest any Victoria Police members, either on or off duty, were involved,” the spokesman said.

“The media outlet (The Age newspaper) which initially reported the matter were contacted and refused to provide details on who sent the image, nor did they provide a copy of the alleged comments.

“Despite the best efforts of investigators we were unable to substantiate any claims that a police member was involved.”

It is understood The Age’s confidential sources fear professional recriminations if they come forward.

Ms Laidley urged any police officers who knew who took the photos, or who have copies of transphobic comments made about her, to “have the courage to stand up and stop this from ever happening again” by contacting her lawyer, Jeremy King, or Victoria Police’s professional standards command.

“We want answers and we want the truth,” Ms Laidley said.

Mr King first lodged a disciplinary complaint on Ms Laidley’s behalf in the days after the Ballan Cup, but is yet to hear back with any substantial update about the case.

He was told this week in an email: “I expect that you will hear from (our investigations division) in due course”.

Two officers at the centre of the first leak, which outed Ms Laidley as transgender, Detective Leading Senior Constable Murray Gentner and Constable David Hall were both required to undergo human rights training, be of good behaviour and pay a small fine for breaching police disciplinary rules.

Neither committed any criminal wrongdoing.

Ms Laidley told the Herald Sun the sanctions would “not deter others from conducting this sort of behaviour in the future.”

“I think the question is what disgusting behaviour would need to occur for people to lose their job?”