Vic: Five off-duty police appear in court over city bashing
By Nick Lenaghan
MELBOURNE, April 22 AAP - Surveillance video of an alleged attack on a heroin userby five off-duty police officers was shown to a Melbourne court today.
The grainy black-and-white footage, taken from two public security cameras, showeda group of men in plain clothes dragging their victim from a central Melbourne streetinto an alleyway.
The five off-duty officers are accused of kicking and punching 22-year-old Linh Ho,in Waratah Place, in Melbourne's Chinatown district, about 4.30am on December 15, 2000.
Mr Ho, who now lives in Brisbane, suffered bruising and cuts during the alleged assault.
The Melbourne Magistrates Court heard that Mr Ho, his sister and her boyfriend werestanding outside an amusement parlour in Russell Street after a security guard refusedthem entry, suspecting them of being drug traffickers.
A dispute broke out between Mr Ho and the off-duty policemen who were walking towarda nearby fast-food store, the court heard.
Mustafa Eliss, a security guard, said an Asian male told him he was concerned the groupof men thought he had asked if they were "chasing" - an offer to sell heroin - as theywalked past.
Moments later the group turned back toward Mr Ho, one of them flashed a badge at himand said "let's go", Mr Eliss said.
The group of men dragged Mr Ho toward nearby Little Bourke Street after he resistedthem, the court heard.
"They were all around him, kicking him, hitting him," Mr Eliss said.
The five accused men are: Senior Constable Brendon Williams, 31, of Templestowe, ConstableLuke Bresnan, 26, of Yarraville, Constable David Boulton, 24, of Melbourne, ConstableMatthew Vernon, 29, of Essendon, and Constable Anthony Town, 32, of South Yarra.
All five, who have been suspended with pay from duty, face charges of assault and falseimprisonment, while Town and Vernon face an additional charge of failing to do their publicduty.
None of the defendants have entered pleas.
The committal hearing continues tomorrow before Magistrate Peter Mealy.
AAP nl/gfr/ldj/sb
KEYWORD: OFFICERS
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