Bravos trial: Alleged victim didn’t want to complain out of fear of ruining career

A FORMER NT cop who has accused former Territory Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Bravos of having sexual intercourse without consent with her in 2004 was urged by colleagues to make a complaint around 15 years ago but did not out of fear of ruining her career, a court has heard

Former NT Police Officer Gordon McDonagh [left] and NT Police Sergeant Ian Gray both gave evidence in the rape trial of former top cop Peter Bravos on Wednesday.

A FORMER NT cop who has accused former Territory Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Bravos of having sexual intercourse without consent with her in 2004 was urged by colleagues to make a complaint around 15 years ago but did not out of fear of ruining her career, a court has heard.

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Bravos is standing trial after pleading not guilty to two counts of sexual intercourse without consent. The Darwin Supreme Court on Wednesday heard from witness and former Territory Police officer Louise Jorgensen via video link, who told the court she heard about the sexual assault allegations in late 2005.

She said she then spoke with the complainant and urged her to make a complaint about Bravos, which she declined to do.

“She didn’t want to be used as a scapegoat, she just wanted to get on with her life. She wanted to put it behind her and she believed her professional career would be ruined (if she complained),” Ms Jorgensen said. However, she said she didn’t take the allegation further herself because “there was no formal statement of complaint”.

Former NT Police Officer Gordon McDonagh [left] and NT Police Sergeant Ian Gray both gave evidence in the rape trial of former top cop Peter Bravos on Wednesday.

During cross-examination by Bravos’s lawyer John Lawrence SC, Ms Jorgensen conceded she had negative views of Bravos as a professional.

“You thought he obtained promotions without real merit, correct?” asked Mr Lawrence. “Correct,” Ms Jorgensen said.

Another former senior cop and witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said the complainant had described the alleged incident to her in 2014 and that it “was clearly non-consensual.”

The witness also said the complainant was distressed by the way Bravos was rising through the ranks of the NT Police force.

Retired NT cop Gordon McDonagh, who worked with the complainant during 2004 and 2005, also gave evidence saying she came to him in early 2005 asking about how to make a complaint about a fellow cop.

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However, Mr McDonagh said she did not specify the nature of the complaint or who it related to.

It comes after Crown prosecutor in the trial Nick Papas QC told the court on Tuesday he no longer intends to call a number of high-profile government identities.

The trial continues on Thursday.