The anti-corruption watchdog has charged a Victoria Police officer for allegedly punching a woman in the face during an unlawful raid on her house two decades ago.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Corinna Horvath was 21 and at her home in Hastings when eight officers kicked down the door, claiming they were investigating her and her partner for driving an unregistered car.
Ms Horvath had her nose broken and spent five days in hospital.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission announced on Tuesday that "a Leading Senior Constable" had been charged with assault offences in relation to the incident in March, 1996.
The Age reported last November that a review of the case by retired Supreme Court Judge Bernard Teague found that Leading Senior Constable David Jenkin should be charged with the assault.
"The charges follow an own motion review and investigation by IBAC of the handling of Ms Corinna Horvath's complaints alleging police assault and associated Victoria Police disciplinary action," an IBAC statement read.
"IBAC can make no further comment on the matter as it is now before the courts."
Leading Senior Constable Jenkin has been summonsed to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on December 9, charged with intentionally causing serious injury, recklessly causing serious injury, intentionally causing injury and recklessly causing injury.
Ms Horvath has previously said that a criminal prosecution was "what we've always wanted from day one".
Justice Teague's review, which was completed in October last year, was designed to investigate Victoria Police's handling of Ms Horvath's complaint, and the internal inquiry into the officers' actions.
It is unclear whether any of the officers were disciplined.
Four were defendants in a civil case involving Ms Horvath, but one left the force soon after the incident, and two had disciplinary offences dismissed at a hearing because of a lack of evidence.
Justice Teague is believed to have advised IBAC that there appeared to be enough evidence to satisfy the Department of Public Prosecutions that a criminal charge could be sustained, despite the assault occurring two decades ago.
He found that it did not appear that a criminal investigation into Leading Senior Constable Jenkin had been considered, making it difficult to review the force's handling of Ms Horvath's complaint.
Ms Horvath was driving with her partner Craig Love when she was stopped in March 1996 by Senior Constable Stephen Davison then-senior constable Jenkin, who declared her car to be unroadworthy.
The next day, senior constables Jenkin and Davison went to the couple's home, believing they had ignored the unroadworthy order.
When Ms Horvath ordered them from the house because they did not have a warrant, they called for reinforcements.
Six more officers arrived and the door was kicked in.
Ms Horvath was allegedly assaulted by Leading Senior Constable Jenkin and spent five days in hospital.
In 2014, then-chief commissioner Ken Lay apologised on behalf of all police members to Ms Horvath and paid her compensation.
That apology came four months after the United Nations Human Rights Committee recommended that Victoria Police should reopen the investigation into officers involved in the raid.
Two of the other officers who were defendants in the civil case are understood to also remain in the force.
Victoria Police have been contacted for comment.