Former detective Murray Gentner loses bid to overturn sacking

Former detective Murray Gentner has lost a bid to overturn his sacking after pictures of corpses, which were described as “shocking” were found on his phone.

Detective senior constable Murray Gentner. Picture: Aaron Francis

Former detective Murray Gentner has lost a bid to overturn his sacking over pictures of corpses found on his phone.

Mr Gentner had gone to the Police Registration and Services Board for a review of Victoria Police’s decision to terminate him.

The former senior constable was investigated and cleared by a court over the Dani Laidley photo scandal but the PRSB upheld the decision to dismiss him over other matters.

Those were text messages found by internal investigators after Mr Gentner’s phone activity between 2015 and 2021 was examined as part of the Laidley inquiry.

Many came from a WhatsApp group involving Mr Gentner and a number of colleagues from the St Kilda station.

The PRSB’s finding said the inquiry officer who made the original termination decision adjudged photos of a dead man at a crime scene to be “shocking and dehumanising” and among the worst examples of misconduct in what was presented.

There were also messages requesting the identity of someone who had complained about a colleague, encouraging a colleague to make an inappropriate LEAP check and talk about sensitive investigations and witness security motivated by personal interest.

Murray Gentner has lost his fight to keep his job with Victoria Police. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Others Mr Gentner admitted sending, receiving or sharing included a photo of a colleague lying across a couch in a bikie clubhouse.

There were also images of a member holding a sex toy during a search warrant, accompanied by “inappropriate comments”, a member pointing a pistol at a colleague during another raid and officers carrying out their duties at a cricket game.

The original inquiry officer ruled that: “For the purposes of maintaining the integrity of and community confidence in Victoria Police and in protection of the community, the determination of this inquiry is that the (Applicant) is dismissed from Victoria Police.”

Mr Gentner argued that the decision was “harsh, unjust or unreasonable” and that his right to privacy, reputation and freedom of thought and conscience were unlawfully and arbitrarily interfered with through Victoria Police overreach into historical and private conversations.

He stated the SMS messages were “written with adrenaline under extreme anxiety and duress” and that he looked back on them with regret.

“They make me sick, I certainly don’t believe that is me,” Mr Gentner told the inquiry officer.

The 2012 Victoria Police detective of the year’s role in the 2017 Bourke St massacre and the toll it took on him was also taken into account.

“For 20 years, I bled for the organisation. I’ve made mistakes which I’ve tried to rectify, own up, put my hand up straight away to own and deal with,” Mr Gentner said in arguing he should keep his job.

“To say I’ve learnt a lesson from this whole thing is an understatement. The last three and a half years have been living hell.”

Mr Gentner was criminally charged and cleared after an investigation into photos of Laidley, the former North Melbourne AFL coach, after she was arrested and taken into custody at St Kilda police station in May, 2020.

He had earlier admitted to three disciplinary breaches over the Laidley matter and was ordered to pay her $1500 in compensation and undergo training.