Detective charged over Laidley leaks was key figure in Bourke St massacre inquest

The police officer charged with leaking pictures of Dani Laidley tried to persuade Bourke St killer James Gargasoulas to surrender before his killing spree.

A Detective has been charged over pictures of Dani Laidley. Picture: Getty

A Detective has today been charged over photos of Dani Laidley taken while the former AFL player and coach was in a police station after being arrested in May.

The officer charged over the Laidley leak is Murray Gentner, a key figure in the Bourke St massacre inquest.

Leading Sen-Const Gentner tried to persuade James Gargasoulas to surrender in the period before he drove through the CBD in 2017, murdering six people he struck with his vehicle.

The images of Laidley – formerly known as Dean – have been the subject of a major internal investigation since they leaked and were widely transmitted within hours of being taken.

Leading Sen-Const Gentner has been charged with one count of unauthorised access of police information, four counts of unauthorised disclosure of police information and one count of misconduct in public office.

Leading Sen-Const Gentner is suspended from duty and will appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on March 30 next year.

Dani Laidley, formerly known as Dean, in his time coaching North Melbourne.

A Victoria Police statement said the investigation was ongoing and was taking longer than expected because of the number of Victoria Police employees who had received or forwarded the images, as well as those who shared social media posts.

“One of the main challenges investigators have faced is determining who received or forwarded the photos taken at the station, versus those who were sent links once they appeared on social media,” the statement said.

Around 274 Victoria Police employees have been interviewed as part of Operation Stellars.

Three people, including two police officers and a police custody officer, remain suspended and face the prospect of criminal action.

Another 46, 39 police and seven public servants, face disciplinary action.

The other 224 people have been cleared of criminal or internal disciplinary action because they had been sent images of Laidley after they appeared on social media.

Photos of the ex-Kangaroos coach taken inside St Kilda police station went viral online after she was arrested over stalking matters in May.

One image showed the former AFL coach wearing make-up and a blonde wig and another was of Laidley’s mugshot.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton described the leak as one of the worst in police history.

The images were received by thousands of people and posted on the popular BigFooty AFL website.

The leak was a huge breach of police protocol and members of the force were ordered to come forward if they had been sent the images.

Following the scandal it was publicly revealed the former Kangaroos coach now identifies as Dani Laidley.

Laidley was earlier this month given an 18-month good behaviour bond over the stalking charges, laid after an arrest outside the St Kilda home of a former partner.

A court previously heard between April 23 and May 2, Laidley had bombarded the woman with calls and texts and went to her workplace, leaving flowers on her car.

She called police “fearful and apprehensive” after Laidley was parked on her street sending her photos of her house.

On that day Laidley had allegedly called her 43 times.

Since then Laidley has undergone rehabilitation and remains drug free.

Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said if she complied with her good behaviour bond the stalking charge would be struck out.

It will mean Laidley will avoid a conviction, allowing her to pursue work in raising awareness about transgender issues in the community.

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