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Police officer charged with numerous assaults

A serving South Australian police officer will face the Adelaide Magistrates Court next week after allegedly assaulting four different people last year.

SA Police said they have suspended the officer after an investigation allegedly uncovered four different incidents that occurred between August and December 2020.

The officer has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault causing harm and two counts of aggravated assault.

The officer, whose age and identity have not been revealed, will appear before the court next Monday.

Meanwhile, the South Australian Court of Appeal is set to rule in the case of former Adelaide magistrate Bob Harrap after the crown argued for a longer sentence.

Harrap was jailed for at least 12 months in December last year after admitting two counts of deception in relation to the use of his government car and to one count of conspiring to commit an abuse of public office.

He had tried to avoid demerit points and the loss of his licence over speeding fines by lying about who was driving his car at the time.

He had also ensured he heard a court matter despite previously giving the lawyer involved private advice in relation to the case.

At a hearing in February, Director of Public Prosecutions Martin Hinton argued that Harrap’s sentences for both sets of offending were manifestly inadequate and urged the Court of Appeal to intervene.

Hinton also argued against the order that the sentences for the conspiracy offences and the deception charges be served concurrently.

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But Harrap’s defence counsel David Edwardson QC said Harrap’s sentences were excessive considering he was a first offender, had excellent character references and was at very low risk of reoffending.

In jailing Harrap last year, District Court Judge Paul Slattery said he accepted the 61-year-old had lost his career, that his mental health had been impacted and that he would be at greater risk in prison.

But he said Harrap knew the seriousness of his offending.

“Members of the judiciary are required to hold themselves separately from other members of society,” Slattery said.

Harrap was jailed for 18 months with a non-parole period of 12 months.

The appeal court’s ruling on those jail terms is due to be handed down this morning.

-with AAP

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