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Allegations
of Abuse in Institutions |
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Taxpayers may end up
funding a golden handshake for a senior policeman who has been the public
focus of an alleged "sick" police culture in south Auckland. Last week senior
sergeant Anthony Solomona, who is married to a youth court judge, was found
guilty of assaulting a 17-year-old boy in February last year. He had been arresting
the boy on a charge of breaching the peace. The Sunday Star-Times
broke the story about assault claims against Solomona last April. He has been
stood down on full pay since. Solomona was acquitted
on four other assault-related charges last week. The Manukau District Court
will set a sentencing date this week, at which Solomona's lawyer, John Haigh
QC, will request a discharge without conviction. A police source told
the Star-Times that Solomona told him he may retire through the Police Early
Retirement Fund (perf) scheme. "When he was stood
down (from police duties over the charge) he said `I'm not coming back if
this is the way the department is going to treat me'," said the source. Haigh would not comment
on whether his client planned to perf. The Star-Times
understood if Solomona perfed, it would be before any possible police
internal inquiry finished investigating his conduct. If found guilty of
internal police charges, he would lose the employer-funded portion of his
superannuation. The scheme allowed
officers to leave with all taxpayer contributions if it was deemed they could
not continue in the job for physical or psychological reasons. Solomona could
get about $300,000 – of which two-thirds was taxpayer-funded. Counties Manukau police
human resources manager Brendan Ryan said senior police could apply to perf
even if they were found guilty of criminal charges. It was understood
police would decide if an internal police investigation should be held into
Solomona's conduct after he was sentenced. During Solomona's case,
Judge Bruce Davidson condemned some techniques used by some police and said
the sick culture could be widespread. Police have since
launched an investigation into the practices of South Auckland officers. |
