A Victoria Police detective senior constable is due to face the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court next month charged with common assault, after the state’s corruption watchdog alleged he punched and kicked a handcuffed teenager during an arrest last year. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) said in a statement on Friday that the charge relates to an incident in Ballarat in October 2025.
What IBAC alleges happened #
According to IBAC’s statement, the detective senior constable is alleged to have punched and kicked a teenager multiple times while the teenager was handcuffed and, IBAC says, compliant during the arrest. IBAC said its investigators examined the circumstances of the arrest before laying the charge. The commission has not released further detail about what led to the arrest itself, and VCN has not been able to independently verify the circumstances beyond what IBAC has stated publicly.
Because the teenager involved is a minor, VCN is not naming or otherwise identifying them, consistent with restrictions on identifying children connected to legal proceedings. No further details about the teenager’s identity, school or location will be published by this masthead.
The charge and what happens next #
IBAC said the detective senior constable has been charged with common assault and is expected to appear in the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court next month. VCN understands the officer remains employed by Victoria Police while the matter proceeds through the courts, though Victoria Police has not issued its own detailed statement beyond confirming it is aware of the charge.
No plea has yet been entered. Common assault is a summary offence under Victorian law, generally dealt with in the Magistrates’ Court rather than before a jury, and carries a maximum penalty far short of more serious assault charges — but a conviction can still carry significant professional consequences for a serving police officer.
The officer is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and is entitled to defend the charge. VCN will report on the outcome of the matter as it proceeds.
Why IBAC — not Victoria Police’s own unit — is running this #
IBAC is Victoria’s independent anti-corruption body, separate from Victoria Police, with statutory power to investigate and, where appropriate, charge police officers over alleged misconduct including excessive use of force. Its involvement here signals that the allegation was treated as serious enough to warrant an independent investigation rather than being handled solely through Victoria Police’s internal Professional Standards Command.
IBAC’s charging of a serving detective is relatively unusual. The commission more commonly makes findings and recommendations following investigations, some of which proceed to criminal charges and some of which result in disciplinary action taken internally by Victoria Police. A criminal charge, as in this case, means the matter will now be tested through the ordinary court process rather than resolved administratively.
How police use-of-force allegations are usually investigated #
Victorian police officers are permitted to use reasonable force when making an arrest, but that force must be proportionate to the circumstances — including whether a person is resisting, has been restrained, or poses a risk to officers or others. Allegations that force was used against someone who was already handcuffed and not resisting go to the heart of what courts consider when assessing whether force was reasonable.
Complaints against police in Victoria can be investigated by Victoria Police’s own Professional Standards Command, or referred to and independently investigated by IBAC, depending on the seriousness of the allegation. Matters involving alleged serious injury, alleged excessive force, or broader questions of police integrity are more likely to be handled by IBAC given its independence from the force itself.
For readers unfamiliar with the process: a charge is simply the mechanism by which an allegation is put before a court. It is not a finding of guilt. The matter will now proceed through committal or summary hearing processes in the Magistrates’ Court, where evidence will be tested and a magistrate will ultimately determine the outcome.
Context: scrutiny of police conduct in regional Victoria #
Ballarat, like other regional centres, has seen periodic scrutiny of policing practices raised through IBAC reports, coronial inquests and parliamentary inquiries in recent years. This masthead has previously reported on IBAC findings concerning police use-of-force incidents in other parts of the state, and on the broader debate about oversight of police conduct during arrests involving young people.
This case is a reminder that oversight mechanisms exist specifically for situations where the public — and police themselves — need assurance that allegations against officers are investigated independently. IBAC’s charging of one of its own state’s detectives, rather than leaving the matter solely to internal review, reflects that framework operating as intended, regardless of the eventual outcome in court.
What we don’t yet know #
VCN has not seen the underlying IBAC investigation file, and details of what preceded the arrest — including why the teenager was being detained in the first place — have not been made public. We have not been told whether the teenager sustained any injuries, nor whether any civil action is being contemplated separately from the criminal charge. IBAC’s statement, as reported, is the extent of what has been officially confirmed at this stage.
Victoria Police has been approached for further comment beyond its acknowledgement of the charge. This masthead will update this report if the force issues a further statement, or as the matter progresses through the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court.
The matter is before the courts #
The detective senior constable is expected to appear in the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court next month to answer the common assault charge. No plea has been entered. The matter is currently before the courts. All persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Readers seeking to report concerns about police conduct can contact IBAC directly. Anyone affected by issues raised in this article, including young people who have had contact with police, can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 for confidential support, available 24 hours a day.
