Victoria Police officers charged with assault during 2025 arrest of Indigenous man
Consensus Summary
Two Victoria Police officers have been charged with assault after allegedly striking an Indigenous man in the head during an arrest in Melbourne’s east last year. The senior constable faces aggravated assault with a weapon for using a taser, while the sergeant is charged with unlawful assault for striking the man with their knee. Both officers remain on duty and will appear in court next month according to ABC or on 11 September per the Guardian. The investigation, led by IBAC’s Focused Police Complaints Team, follows a pattern of misconduct probes. ABC notes the team assessed 105 complaints last year, launching 28 investigations and charging one officer, while the Guardian highlights that IBAC investigated only 2% of police complaints in March data. The officers’ continued employment and the timing of their court appearance remain key points of focus.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Two Victoria Police officers were charged with assault following an arrest of an Indigenous man in Melbourne's east last year
- One officer (a senior constable) was charged with aggravated assault with a weapon (allegedly striking the man in the head with a taser multiple times)
- The other officer (a sergeant) was charged with unlawful assault (allegedly striking the man in the head with their knee)
- The arrest occurred in August 2025 (ABC) or last August (Guardian)
- The officers remain working in their current roles
- The officers will face court next month (ABC) or on 11 September (Guardian)
- The investigation was conducted by IBAC’s Focused Police Complaints Team (FPCT)
- Last year, IBAC’s FPCT assessed 105 complaints against Victoria Police and launched 28 investigations, laying charges against one police officer (ABC)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) launched an investigation into the two officers, who are accused of striking an Indigenous man in the head during the arrest.
- The two officers will front Ringwood Magistrates' Court next month.
- Victoria Police said it was notified of the charges on Wednesday.
- Last year, the FPCT assessed 105 complaints against Victoria Police and launched 28 investigations, laying charges against one police officer.
- The investigation is codenamed Operation Ginkgo.
- IBAC’s FPCT assesses and investigates serious, single-incident allegations of Victoria Police misconduct against people from communities at a higher risk of experiencing police misconduct, including First Nations people.
- Data released in March showed the commission investigated just 2% of all complaints it received regarding police last year.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC states the officers will face court next month, while the Guardian specifies they will appear on 11 September.
- ABC says the arrest occurred in August 2025, while the Guardian refers to it as last August without specifying the year.
Source Articles
Two Victoria Police officers charged with assault over 2025 arrest
The two officers are alleged to have unlawfully hit an Indigenous man in the head with a taser and one officer's knee during an arrest last year in Melbourne's east.
Ibac charges police officer accused of repeatedly hitting Indigenous man with Taser during Melbourne arrest
Victorian corruption watchdog alleges weapon was used to hit man’s head, with another officer accused of kneeing him in same incident last year Two Victorian police officers have been charged with assault after allegedly using a Taser and knee to repeatedly strike a man in the head during an arrest last year. But the officers remain on duty, police have confirmed. Continue reading...