NSW Police Treat Trans Woman ‘Like A Dog’

Senior Constable Mark Follington, a NSW Police officer, has pleaded not guilty to a series of charges, including two counts of common assault, and tampering with evidence after he was found to have fabricated details of a violent arrest involving a transgender woman at the Railway Hotel in Liverpool in May 2019.

According to evidence submitted to the court, Anya Bradford (25) who was at the venue with a friend shortly before she was due to meet with her parole officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries, but was left with a black eye and cuts to her wrist.

The police officers at the time were conducting ID checks of patrons in the gaming room. When asked to produce ID, Bradford told both officers that she did not have any on her.

CCTV footage showed that as Bradford tried to leave the venue a short time later, the two police officers prevented her from doing so, before a scuffle broke out near the ATM.

Giving evidence before Magistrate Michael Crompton at the Downing Centre Local & District Court Bradford said of the attack, “He grabbed me by the throat and pushed me into an ATM and a fight broke out.

“I remember my head being slammed against an ATM multiple times… I was shoved in the neck with a taser.”

 When Bradford attempted to leave the hotel, both Senior Constable Follington and Probationary Officer Mark Brown chased her down the street and into the foyer of a parole office. CCTV footage also submitted the court, clearly shows Ms Bradford being handcuffed on the ground before other officers arrive at the parole office and she is dragged out of the building.

Bradford also claims that she was laughed and snarled at by Constable Brown before he sprayed her with pepper spray.

“The larger officer picked me up by the handcuffs, like I was on a leash, like I was a dog, then he dragged me out… laughing,” she said. “My head hit the corner of the room and then he put his knee on my chest so I couldn’t breath and the smaller officer [Brown] was throwing punches to my face.”

Acting for the defence Barrister Ray Hood asked Bradford if she was exaggerating her evidence by claiming she was tasered before leaving the pub.

 Ms Bradford denied that suggestion and also denied telling the two officers to “fuck off” when they asked her for ID.

“Did you use the words, ‘fuck you grunts?'” Hood asked before Bradford answered,“I highly doubt it.”

The court also heard Bradford was allegedly tasered for a second time during a scuffle in the parole office.

As the case is currently before the NSW courts NSW Police declined to comment on the matter when approached by Star Observer.

More to come.