Police officer who snapped picture of Dani Laidley says he ‘f---ed up’

A police officer who took a photo of former AFL coach Dani Laidley in custody has revealed he regrets his “dumb” actions as he faces court again.

The police officer who took a photo of former AFL coach Dani Laidley in custody says his actions were “dumb” and had taken away from memorials for four police officers killed in the deadly Eastern Freeway crash.

Shane Reid, 37, admitted to investigating officers probing the photo leak scandal that he had taken the picture on his phone of Laidley in St Kilda police station wearing a dress, long blonde wig and make-up on Sunday, May 3, 2020.

After sharing the photo with his police mates in a WhatsApp group chat called the “SD1 Gentleman’s Club”, it quickly went viral and dominated news headlines.

It also sparked an internal probe as senior Victoria Police members pledged to take action against the officers responsible.

Police Officer Shane Reid outside Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. Picture: David Crosling

In his record of interview the following day, Mr Reid fought back tears as he said the force should have instead been focusing on the funerals for Leading Sen-Constable Lynette Taylor, Sen-Constable Kevin King and Constables Glen Humphris and Josh Prestney.

“It only is because I f---ed up and took a photo,” he said.

“I shouldn’t have. It was just dumb.”

The four officers were killed weeks earlier on April 22 when a semi trailer slammed into them while they responded to a speeding Porsche driver in Kew.

Services had been held on the Friday for Sen Constable King and Constable Humphris.

A day earlier friends, family and police members gathered to farewell Sen Constable Taylor.

As Mr Reid was being interviewed by Professional Standards Command detectives, the fourth and final funeral was being held for Constable Prestney.

“It has put my job and the organisation in jeopardy,” Mr Reid told the detectives.

“I’m really disappointed something like that has happened because of me.

“There was no need for me to take the photo. It was a mistake.

“I’m just sorry to everyone and the impact it has had.

“I didn’t see the bigger picture and the potential of what could have happened.”

He acknowledged Laidley’s “rights as a person in police custody” had been breached and that she did not deserve to be “made a mockery of”.

Dani Laidley attends Pride Day during the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

Mr Reid said his “spur of the moment” decision had added to the “trying times for Victoria Police” who were reeling over the loss of four members and the fact “we’ve pissed off people” with enforcing Covid lockdowns.

Asked why he took the photo, he said: “I guess it kind of threw me that a former AFL player … it wasn’t something that you’d normally see.

“It was very poor, a poor decision on my behalf.”

His frank hour-long interview was played in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday as Mr Reid fights charges of accessing and disclosing police information, and misconduct of a public official.

He says he has not breached his duty as a police officer and has pleaded not guilty to all four charges.

It comes after, earlier this month, award-winning detective Murray Gentner was cleared of his similar charges relating to leaking photos of Laidley after a magistrate ruled the prosecution had failed to establish he had a legal duty not to disclose the information.

The court heard Mr Reid, who resigned from Victoria Police last year, was relying on a similar defence.

The hearing, before magistrate Hayley Bate, continues on Wednesday.