Senior police officer denies alleged assaults during 1996 raid

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This was published 6 years ago

Senior police officer denies alleged assaults during 1996 raid

By Adam Cooper
Updated

The policeman in charge of a raid more than 20 years ago in which a woman was allegedly bashed by an officer has rejected claims he struck the woman and her partner in their home.

Sergeant Ian Christensen was the senior officer when eight police raided the Hastings home of Corinna Horvath​ and Craig Love on the night of March 9, 1996, when she suffered a broken nose.

Corina Horvath outside court.

Corina Horvath outside court.Credit: Jason South

The raid was previously found to be unlawful by a County Court judge. In 2016 Victoria's Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission charged Leading Senior Constable David Jenkin with intentionally causing serious injury, recklessly causing serious injury, intentionally causing injury and recklessly causing injury, over the harm Ms Horvath suffered. She was 21 at the time.

Leading Senior Constable Jenkin, 48, is appearing before Melbourne Magistrates Court in a hearing to determine whether he faces trial. His lawyer has said he would plead not guilty.

Corina Horvath after she was allegedly assaulted by police.

Corina Horvath after she was allegedly assaulted by police.

Mr Love told the court on Wednesday he saw Sergeant Christensen strike Ms Horvath in the head with a baton that night, and Leading Senior Constable Jenkin punch her three times in the face while she was handcuffed and lying on the floor.

Mr Love also alleged he was struck by Sergeant Christensen, both at the house and at Hastings police station after his arrest. Sergeant Christensen has not been charged.

On Thursday, defence counsel Geoffrey Steward asked the sergeant if he had struck Ms Horvath.

"Definitely not," the officer replied.

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David Jenkin outside court on Wednesday.

David Jenkin outside court on Wednesday.Credit: Jason South

He also denied assaulting Mr Love and another man in the house.

"I struck no one," he said.

Sergeant Christensen said the only time he saw Ms Horvath in the house was when she was stood up, and that although she was bleeding she was constantly abusing police.

"It's correct that you saw no assault [of Ms Horvath]?" Mr Steward asked.

"That's correct," the policeman said.

Ms Horvath told the court on Wednesday she heard officers screaming outside the house and that one yelled: "We want Corinna."

Sergeant Christensen told the court he yelled that police did not need a warrant, as the eight officers were there to arrest Ms Horvath over her scuffle with Leading Senior Constable Jenkin outside the house earlier that day. They had considered her the suspect for assaulting a police officer.

Leading Senior Constable Jenkin and colleague Stephen Davison pulled Ms Horvath and Mr Love over on the night of March 8 and declared their car unroadworthy, the court has heard, and the officers then went to their house the next day in the belief the car had been illegally driven.

Ms Horvath has admitted she and Leading Senior Constable Jenkin were in a scuffle the first time police were at her house on March 9, and that she had told him he couldn't be on the property without a warrant.

Her nose was broken the second time police were at her house that day.

Sergeant Christensen said the two officers appeared shaken after visiting the house the first time, and a larger group of police had been sent there because they didn't know how many people were there.

Asked if he called out, "We want Corinna", Sergeant Christensen said: "Definitely didn't say that."

He said police had kicked in the door, but insisted that no glass had been broken. He said neighbours had later reported the sound of glass smashing after police left the house having arrested Ms Horvath and Mr Love.

Sergeant Christensen said he phoned a doctor to attend to Ms Horvath within five minutes of returning to the police station, as he thought she needed to be seen "straightaway". She said on Wednesday it was at least 30 minutes after her arrival at the station before the doctor treated her.

The hearing continues.

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