A Sydney Court has described the Police’s treatment of teenager Jamie Jackson Reed at last year’s Mardi Gras as a use of excessive force.
Police dropped their charges against the teenager a fortnight ago but in court today Magistrate Michael Barko told Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court that the teenager was “brutalised” by a constable who slammed his head into the pavement.
The incident was filmed on a mobile phone and spread quickly on social media in the days after the 2012 Mardi Gras celebration. Nearly a year after the incident police withdrew the charges they had brought against the 18 year old reveler.
In Court today the Magistrate suggested questioned if the police were trying to avoid additional bad publicity.
“What should I infer?” Magistrate Barko is reported to have said. “That the Commissioner wants no further bad publicity?”
The same officer, Constable Leon Mixios, was the subject of a Police Integrity Commission investigation last year, after a separate incident involving excessive force during an arrest and is currently assigned to office duties.
Mr Jackson’s lawyer has said today that his client could have potentially spent up to five years in jail as a result of the police’s actions. Police are continuing to internally investigate the incident.
