Anti-corruption watchdog grills Detective Sergeant Wayne Dean over ‘notorious’ links
A cop has been quizzed about his links to “notorious” figures, including a man acquitted of a gangland murder.
A Victorian police officer is being grilled about his links to “notorious” figures, including Mick Gatto, in an anti-corruption hearing.
The state’s anti-corruption watchdog is holding a hearing into claims Detective Sergeant Wayne Dean took cash from a debt collector to pressure borrowers into paying back money.
It will also probe the appropriateness of some of his relationships, including ties to Mr Gatto.
On Tuesday counsel assisting Catherine Boston quizzed the 37-year veteran of the force about his connection to “notorious” figures like Mr Gatto.
Sergeant Dean is not working as an officer pending the investigation.
“Was he notorious from the point where you first met him in the mid-1990s or is that something which developed later?” Ms Boston asked.
“Um, I think his notoriety … I think that may have escalated after the point as a result of the shooting at the restaurant,” Sergeant Dean told the hearing.
He said he was aware through media of Mr Gatto’s “colourful past” and denied he was wilfully blind about it.
The officer testified at the figure’s murder trial after the fatal shooting of gangland hit man Andrew “Benji” Veniamin in 2004.
Mr Gatto was acquitted of murder on the grounds of self-defence.
The investigation into the officer was sparked when a Chinese migration agent complained that she paid Sergeant Dean and his associate Bill Meletsis $11,000 to recover money owed to a client.
Mr Meletsis is not a subject of the hearing but both he and Sergeant Dean gave evidence in private hearings before the public examination.
Mr Meletsis denied making payments to the police officer despite Sergeant Dean admitting he accepted cash from Mr Meletsis but not in exchange for services, the hearing was told.
The woman claimed Sergeant Dean conducted “mediations” at a police station between her and the alleged debtor.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission head Robert Redlich was told on Monday that Sergeant Dean hauled borrowers to the police station for interviews.
“The purpose of that was to scare the alleged debtor,” Ms Boston asked the officer.
“No,” the detective replied.
“All I can say is it wasn’t my intention to do that, (the station) was just somewhere for common ground,” he told the hearing.
When investigators raided the officer’s home in February they found $18,000 cash in a safe. Another $1300 was found in Sergeant Dean’ wallet in his desk at Melbourne CIU, the hearing was told.
The hearing continues.