Sergeant Geoffrey Howe allegedly assaulted seven men while on the beat

A Gippsland police officer has been ordered to stand trial over allegations he violently assaulted seven young men while on duty.

A Victorian country cop has been accused of violently assaulting several young men while on the beat after they called him a “bald-headed c---” and jeered “f--k the police”.

Sergeant Geoffrey Howe, from Gippsland, has been ordered to stand trial in the County Court on 11 charges relating to the assaults of seven men in 2018.

The Herald Sun can now reveal the shocking allegations levelled against Howe, after they were detailed in recently released court documents.

The prosecution will argue Howe assaulted one man when police attended a birthday party in a Gippsland town on March 2, 2018, after a number of fights erupted.

The man, who witnesses claim broke up the fights, called out “f--k the cops” and “f--k the police” when Howe and several other police officers arrived.

Howe is said to have told the man to “move on” but the young partygoer again replied “f--k the police”.

It is alleged Howe then threw him face first into the bonnet of a nearby HiLux, before turning him over and spraying his face, eyes and mouth with capsicum spray.

Sergeant Geoffrey Howe has been ordered to stand trial in the County Court on 11 charges, including assault. Picture: 9 News

Howe, canister in hand, is then accused of striking the man’s head.

The prosecution will also allege the man’s arms were held out in a “gesture of surrender” during the incident.

The man was then pulled to the ground and arrested, but before he was placed in the divvy van, Howe allegedly hit him in the head again with the can.

One month later, on March 31, police were called to a McDonalds in another Gippsland town following a report of “youths causing trouble”.

Howe was called by his colleagues to attend the scene after it was discovered one of the four men had a warrant out for his arrest.

The wanted man and one of his mates questioned why Howe had arrived on scene, calling him a “bald-headed c—t”.

While the man was being handcuffed, Howe said “get back” and allegedly sprayed two of his mates in the face with capsicum spray.

Howe is then accused of turning to the man, who was then fully handcuffed, and also shooting capsicum spray at his face.

The final man was also allegedly assaulted with capsicum spray after he said to Howe: “You might as well spray me, too”.

Howe is accused of assaulting the men by shooting capsicum spray in their faces.

The prosecution will argue the final assault occurred on May 27 outside a hotel after a man – who was on his way to a taxi rank – was arrested by Howe.

One of the man’s friends moved towards the police officer but stopped moving when he was told to “get back”.

But Howe allegedly sprayed him in the face with capsicum spray “without warning”, which caused another friend to shout out in shock.

This friend then allegedly had his face doused in capsicum spray before he too was arrested.

Howe has also been accused of striking this man in the head with the canister, causing a laceration to his scalp.

The sergeant has been charged with eight counts of common law assault, two of recklessly causing injury and one of intentionally causing injury.

The exact locations of the alleged crimes were not disclosed in the court documents.

The Herald Sun understands Mr Howe, who is on bail, has been suspended on full pay.

He is expected to stand trial in November, with the County Court to hear his case in the Latrobe Valley.