Tasmania Police mistaken arrest: Crystal Aldridge shares her story

A Tasmania Police sergeant brought “discredit” on the service and others reprimanded after they mistakenly forcibly arrested a woman for trespassing in her own home. She shares her story.

“They left me black and blue then dumped me and left me to my own devices.”

So says West Launceston woman Crystal Aldridge, 44, who on April 7 this year was the subject of a mistaken arrest in her own home by a squad of Tasmania Police officers.

Ms Aldridge, who freely admits she has had previous interactions with police as a defendant, is still dealing with the mental scars six months later.

“I’m anxiety ridden. My sleep is awful,” she said.

Injuries sustained by West Launceston woman Crystal Aldridge, 44, during a mistaken arrest by Tasmania Police officers at her unit on April 7, 2022. Picture: Supplied

“I’m a pretty lovely, bright person, I was bouncy in life but now I’m not.

“My sleep is awful – when it goes quiet I feel that anticipation.

“Police failed me in a big way.”

The Mercury has learnt that, as a result of the arrest, Ms Aldridge’s complaint was upheld, resulting in one officer being “disciplined (for) breaches of the Code of Conduct under the Police Service Act 2003”.

West Launceston woman Crystal Aldridge, 44. Picture: Alex Treacy

“(This arose) from findings that the member failed to act with due care and diligence in assessing the situation and making the decision to arrest you,” Inspector Nathan Johnston said in an email seen by the Mercury.

“Another member, who was the supervisor, was further found to have brought discredit on the service; however, during the investigation, the police officer involved separated from Tasmania Police.”

In response to questions, Commander Stuart Wilkinson said police acted in “good faith”.

“However, subsequent investigations have determined the dispute was civil not criminal,” he said.

Injuries sustained by West Launceston woman Crystal Aldridge, 44, during an mistaken arrest by Tasmania Police officers at her unit on April 7, 2022. Picture: Supplied

“The civil dispute remains the subject of legal argument between the parties.

“Police remain in contact with (Ms Aldridge), and two senior officers have passed on their apologies in person.”

He acknowledged there were “issues identified with our response” and professional development had been provided to “better inform subsequent similar responses in future”.

The arrest was precipitated by a nasty tenancy dispute with Ms Aldridge’s landlord, which has bounced in and out of Launceston Magistrates Court’s civil list since January.

There is a complicated back story but in summary, the lease documents were prepared but never signed; however, Ms Aldridge relied on s10 of the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (Tas), which holds that a tenancy can exist on the basis of an oral agreement and other representations.

Tasmania Police had had multiple interactions with Ms Aldridge and her landlord over the course of the dispute and, according to Ms Aldridge, each time had mediated the dispute and left without incident.

April 7 was different.

About 3pm, Ms Aldridge said she was at home when she heard an “almighty bang, bang, bang, the house was shaking”.

She called police when she discovered it was a man allegedly drilling her doors shut, yelling, “Get the f*** out of my house”.

The man, who the Mercury has chosen not to name, will face Launceston Magistrates Court on October 3 on charges related to this alleged conduct.

Police arrived and were allegedly informed by the man Ms Aldridge was a trespasser.

Injuries sustained by West Launceston woman Crystal Aldridge, 44, during an unlawful arrest by Tasmania Police officers at her unit on April 7, 2022. Picture: Supplied

Ms Aldridge, however, couldn’t leave her unit to meet the officers, as the doors were allegedly drilled shut.

Ms Aldridge claimed officers battered her door down and took her to ground on her balcony, her face jammed down onto the irregular, metal railing of the sliding door.

“I felt this major weight on my back, I couldn’t breathe,” she said.

“What was worse was the handcuffs, I’m screaming because they’d pinched my skin, they’re thinking I’m carrying on but I’m begging them to loosen the cuffs.

“Four officers were at the front door to take me down the stairs.

“Officers grabbed my feet, more officers grabbed my arms and I was taken face-first down the stairs.

“Then they dropped me. My shoulder was black, I suffered bruising, two black eyes, no skin left on the top of my feet.

“Then I was chucked in the back of the divvy van.”

Ms Aldridge said it wasn’t until her law firm reached the bailiff in the watch-house that the situation began to change.

West Launceston woman Crystal Aldridge, 44. Picture: Alex Treacy

“The bailiff looked at me and said you can go home now,” Ms Aldridge said.

Then she was driven home, again in the back of a divvy van, dumped “black and blue” and “left to my own devices”.

Ms Aldridge said she believed her treatment was due to Tasmania Police not having a sufficient working knowledge of the provisions of the tenancy act.

“What brings me here is how many people without a lawyer has this happened to?” she said.

“It happened to me, someone has to speak out.”