Police bashing investigated

THE bashing of a man by police at Ballina Police Station last year is being investigated by the Police Integrity Commission.

The investigation comes after charges of assaulting police against 21-year-old Corey Barker were dropped, following the discovery of lost CCTV footage discrediting police claims he had attacked one of them and that had triggered the bashing.

At the time, Magistrate David Heilpern said he believed a police officer had lied on oath to the court in an attempt to mislead the court and accused officers who had testified of "giving palpably false evidence in such a contemptuous manner".

As the Police Integrity Commission today announced it would investigate three police officers - two senior constables and a constable - over the incident, Mr Heilpern agreed to publicly release CCTV footage showing the January 14, 2011 attack.

Check tomorrow's Northern Star for the full story.