Staff reporters
The Police Integrity Commission (PIC), which is investigating three Ballina police officers over the bashing of Aboriginal man Corey Barker following the release of horrifying CCTV evidence, will hold a public hearing in Sydney in the new year.
The PIC is investigating allegations of assault, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, perjury and tampering with evidence against three officers: senior constable David Hill, senior constable Ryan Eckersley and constable Lee Walmsley.
The videotape came to light during the trial of Mr Barker in July for allegedly assaulting one of the officers.
Magistrate Heilpern said in his judgment it was ‘crystal clear that the defendant at no time punched Senior Constable Hill in the nose as described’.
He said at the time that the officers had only escaped being charged with perjury due to the PIC inquiry.
The commission is investigating ‘whether any officer of the NSW Police Force was involved in serious police misconduct or criminal activity in the arrest and detention of Corey Matthew Barker on 14 January 2011 at Ballina and in the subsequent prosecution of Corey Matthew Barker for offences alleged to have been committed by him on that date’.
The hearing will be held at the PIC headquarters: Level 3, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, from 10am, Monday, February 18.
Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact the PIC via email, phone 1800 657 079, fax 02 9231 6799, or mail GPO Box 3880, Sydney, NSW, 2001.
