IBAC twist in Victoria’s ‘vampire gigolo’ police corruption saga

A new complaint alleging serious misconduct by senior Victoria Police officers during two sensational criminal investigations, including the ‘vampire gigolo’ murder probe, has been lodged with Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog.

Former police union chief Paul Mullett has made fresh claims against several former and serving senior police officers. Picture: David Crosling

A new complaint alleging serious misconduct by senior Victoria Police officers during two sensational criminal investigations, including the “vampire gigolo” murder probe, has been lodged with Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog.

The Australian has confirmed former police union chief Paul Mullett has made fresh claims against several former and serving senior police officers in a complaint to Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission.

Mr Mullett lodged a formal complaint with IBAC late last year, drawing in part on evidence tendered to the Lawyer X royal commission, making a series of ­allegations about the conduct of the police commanders 17 years ago during two top-secret inquiries, Operation Briars and Operation Diana.

Mr Mullett’s action may breathe life into one of Victoria’s most complex and controversial law and order scandals that has already triggered anti-corruption inquiries, failed criminal trials and civil action since 2007.

The so-called ‘vampire gigolo’, Shane Chartres-Abbott.

Former Victoria Police chief commissioner Simon Overland.

When contacted this week by The Australian, Mr Mullett declined to comment. IBAC also declined to respond to a series of detailed questions.

When asked by The Australian to comment on the 2023 complaint and asked whether a new inquiry had been opened and any private hearings held, an IBAC spokesperson said; “As a matter of practice, IBAC does not comment on whether it has a complaint or investigation before it.”

Former chief commissioners Simon Overland and Graham Ashton are among senior police figures named in Mr Mullett’s complaint to IBAC. Mr Overland could not be reached for comment. Mr Ashton did not respond to calls from The Australian.

The Australian is not suggesting Mr Overland and Mr Ashton have acted improperly, just that a complaint has been made. Victoria Police declined to comment.

The saga can be traced back to the execution of self-professed vampire and male prostitute Shane Chartres-Abbott, who was gunned down outside his Reservoir home on the morning of June 4, 2003, as he was leaving to attend court to face a rape charge.

Chartres-Abbott, who told his alleged victim that he was a 200-year-old vampire, had made claims of police corruption before he was shot dead.

In the wake of the murder, police launched Operation Briars, and subsequently an offshoot probe known as Operation Diana, to investigate potential links between allegedly corrupt police and Chartres-Abbott’s murder.

Former Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton.

A career criminal already serving a life sentence for a separate murder confessed to being the shooter and claimed police were involved. No police officers were ever charged over the Chartres-Abbott murder. Three men were charged and later acquitted after a Supreme Court trial.

Operation Diana explored allegations that Mr Mullett and then assistant commissioner Noel Ashby leaked sensitive information to suspects in the ­Chartres-Abbott murder probe.

Mr Mullett, who lost his high-profile job as the secretary of the Victorian Police Association as a result of the controversy, was charged in 2008 along with Mr Ashby with a string of criminal offences, including providing false evidence to the now defunct Office of Police Integrity. In 2009, the case against both men collapsed and charges were dropped.

Eight years ago, Mr Mullett, twice commended for bravery as a police officer, launched an unsuccessful multimillion-dollar civil action over the case. In 2013, IBAC dismissed an earlier complaint by Mr Mullett alleging police misconduct in Operation Briars and Operation Diana.

In a statement to the Lawyer X royal commission, Mr Mullett linked gangland barrister Nicola Gobbo to the saga. “I believe Ms Gobbo was instrumental in providing material that was leaked to the media identifying me and Mr Ashby and others as being implicated in allegations we compromised Operation Briars by allegedly leaking certain information relative to the operation,” he stated. “My concern extends to both Ms Gobbo’s knowledge and involvement in Operation Briars and Operation Diana, and the involvement with former police members … who were targets of Operation Briars.”