Bashed couple get AVO
Blacktown Police have refuted claims homophobia played a part in the investigation of a gay bashing.
Local Area Commander Supt Mark Wright denied any mismanagement in the case of Aaron Warnecke and Greg Harland — a couple attacked with metal poles in May.
“I would strenuously deny any suggestion that this investigation has been treated differently because of the sexual preference of those injured. Nothing could be further from the truth,” Wright said.
“As is often the case in these types of investigations, we are dealing with a variety of different versions and conflicting information, which always makes an investigation more difficult.
“The most important consideration for police is to ensure our investigations and our briefs of evidence are as complete as possible. We want to get this right and not face a situation where an offender could walk free because of a rushed or incomplete investigation.
“With this in mind, my investigations manager is reviewing the investigation and seeking legal advice.”
Warnecke and Harland now have an interim AVO in place and will return to Blacktown Court for a final AVO hearing on September 14.
They said relations with the police had improved since they went public.
“Since the article, [the police] have done a whole 180,” Harland said. “Even with their phone manner, they’re really pleasant — they’re not just barking ‘give me the event number’ and making me explain the whole story over and over. They’re being helpful.”
The couple’s story saw a community outcry and offers of assistance.
The Homicide Survivors Association offered to act as a liaison between the victims and police. Former Blacktown councillor John Allen has offered to raise the issue with the council.
“This is not just about a couple of fairy guys, this is an issue of safety,” Allen told Sydney Star Observer.
“Blacktown is the largest local government area of NSW, there’s close to 300,000 people. That then means, just on the stats, there is a very high gay and lesbian population. So to have one liaison officer based in Quakers Hill, of all places, is questionable.”
NSW Police GLBT spokeswoman Donna Adney said the state would see an increase in GLLOs.
“There is a GLLO course in November which should result in about 25 new GLLOs being trained,” she said.
NSW Police Minister Tony Kelly has been made aware of the case, although he declined to comment before the investigation was finished.
Hi my name is georgia and i am currently undertaking my HSC. For one of my subjects i have to conduct a personal interest project. My project surrounds the question of How the attitudes and views towards homosexuality has changed in Australia. I am inquiring on how to contact Greg Harland, he would be a lot of help for imput on my project and also any help would be appreciated.
Thankyou
Saw the Shane & Craig completed documentary premiere through Queer Screen on the weekend. It was really gripping. There is so much more to these stories than just the police- the hospital even banned Shane from staying past visiting hours the night of the bashing, as he couldn’t prove they were in a defacto relationship. Maybe more of us should be getting City of Sydney Relationship Declaration certificates (that also record the existing length of the relationship at the time the certificate is issued), then we can keep a photocopy in our wallets & throw that in the nurses faces as “proof”.
You’ve got to be kidding me, this twerp actually said “a couple of fairy guys”?, great, and this is one of the people to complain to?. These guys were subjected to aggression, and foul language (obviously its ok for a cop to say ‘fuck’ a half dozen times) just for asking about how the investigation was progressing. The only reason that the cops have done a 180 is that they are covering their own arses from a media driven investigation into their homophobia, no other reason. Bullshit they weren’t treated any differently for being gay. I hope the guys sue the police service for discrimination and collect statements from any witnessess who saw how they were treated by the police, the police are not above the law, including anti-discrimination laws.
Cummon people, say it! POLICE HOMOPHOBIA PERSISTS!…
I dare say, without the publicity from gay sources, this bashing would ave been simply written off as “a couple of poofs getting their deserts”, the old homophobia of the past that really still exists!
Thank you SSO for following this story up. Let us hope the matter is now investigated accordingly.
Thoughts and best wishes to the victims of this horrendous hate crime.
Further to my earlier comment:
Imagine this scenerio:
Young heterosexual couple leave a gay venue on Oxford st
after enjoying a night out with their friends.
Young heterosexual couple are stalked and pursued by a group
of gay men who viciously attack them with bottles and metal bars..hospitalising one of the victims with serious injuries
weeks and weeks pass no arrest of attackers,no reporting of the attack in the newspapers or on tv.
All is not as it seems with these two.Why do you people only want to here what you want to hear. Seek the facts before you just summerise and put it down to “another gay discrimination incident” if you knew the facts you would think different. I happen to know these characters just get the facts guys then make your decision. Have a nice day guys keep up the good fight!!!
Alex – I am not exaggerating – that is what goes on – whether you want to believe it or not – the serious crimes to which I referred were not terrorism offence but breaches of the crimes act – the practice I described was not applied to the offenders who attacked the gay couple – the police chose not to apply that practice to the offenders who attacked the gay couple.
And so it takes full front page media coverage in the gay press, with an outcry of reaction including 80+ letters to the editor, and no doubt other behind the scenes action and 3 months for Blacktown police to serve an interim AVO. No co-incidence at all. It shows homophobia and gross incompetence, and heads should roll. Supt. Mark Wright of Blacktown police, who is ultimately answerable for his command, says they need to get legal advice before proceeding! And his comments about this being only one side of the story? Sorry Mark, but I would believe any media before the police any day, who have a long and proven record of lying (especially under oath in Court).
This is a case of attempted murder, where there is/was cctv footage and witnesses! Wright should be removed, as was the former super. of Surry Hills command. Lets hope that at least now Blacktown police will ENFORCE this AVO, if Warnecke and Harland are further harassed. There is no guarantee of automatic protection in this, as this is still dependant on police doing their job.
This case also highlights the utter failure of checks and balances on police, including the police ombudsman in overseeing their conduct. Hardly surprising, as they are all elements of a dysfunctional, unconcerned and corrupt NSW government (further to comment by Kevin Sept 2nd, 10.01am- Nathan Rees and Paul Gibson). Only when the police service is cleared out of its old, corrupt and incompetent old guard and their attitudes, the good, committed and professional ones will stay. Meanwhile, The only really effective check against this is apparently the MEDIA. Good on ya, Star Observer!
Aaron and Greg, I’m so glad you’ve finally seen some official action in your favour. I hope you’ll never have need for an AVO ever again. (And that no other couple will.)
Kevin, good on you for making the call.
Chillisauce, a lot of cops are crap, but some do their best in what is often a really shit system. Saying that they lock people in the slammer without a trial for a year is not only incorrect (unless we’re talking terror suspects) but it degrades the work that the odd good cop does.
Well done Ani and SSO for drawing public attention to this and getting the cops off their arses. If only there was a similar boot up the butt for Paul Gibson…?
Chris is right, if it was a hetero couple there would be hell to pay. I cant believe that our “defender” former Blacktown Councillor John Allen would say “this is not about a couple of fairy guys” if this was said about any other minority group it would simply not be tolerated.
this is about human rights pure and simple and it is appalling that the two, who have already suffered enough, have to go public to even get the police to pay attention.
We need to stand up for our rights.
i still think we need a wider media exposure on this SSO staff? we do need televison also i think. This matter needs to be dealt with. And the police Minister should be forced to act accordingly.
Local Area Commander Supt Mark Wright said they werent treated any different because they are gay – everyone is treated this way regardless of their sexuality – really how slack is that? – it is unbelievable and the cry of incompetence.
Kevin, are you suprised by the actions of the NSW police and Paul Gibson’s attitude?
Sydney is not the gay capital of the world, as we would like everyone to believe.
Kevin,
What you report Paul Gibson saying doesn’t surprise me. He comes across as a bit of a yobbo and I would be surprised to see any pro-gay sentiment come from him.
So sad that the two of you had to go public, in order to get any action. Congratulations to you both that you now, at least, have some comfort in an AVO.
I’m generally a quiet supporter when it comes to these types of stories in the paper (a “passive reader”, really) but this gay bashing in Blacktown really bothered me. It’s one of the rare times I decided to do something vocal about it. Given I didn’t think calling Blacktown Police would help, based on other comments posted on the original article last week, I called Blacktown City Council itself to make them aware of situation. After speaking with some (polite) receptionists, it was suggested I speak with one of the area MP’s. Since Nathan Rees is the MP for Blacktown (clearly he was never going to return my calls), I was put onto MP Paul Gibson. He called me back on Monday, I told him I was a concerned citizen, and that my same-sex-partner and I had been considering buying property and moving to the western suburbs (“specifically looking at Blacktown”), bringing last week’s article to his attention (he doesn’t know of SSO btw – maybe SSO should be sending their papers to MP’s / western Sydney politicians to enlighten them a bit). When I put him on the spot, and asked him bluntly if he was able to do anything it or if it concerned him that gay bashings are a reality in his district, he was somewhat dismissive, saying it was a police matter, that any comments on the SSO site were heresay until proven otherwise, and there was nothing he could (would?) do to get involved. He seemed to think this was a one-off case, and it shouldn’t influence any gay person’s decision whether or not to move to Blacktown – “If you were to use the same criteria as that to decide where you might move to, you wouldn’t move anywhere!” he said.
Maybe that’s the problem.
Aaron and Greg – I can only imagine your frustration in this whole situation. Know that the community is behind you, if not only quietly.
K
LAC Supt Mark Wright said;
“The most important consideration for police is to ensure our investigations and our briefs of evidence are as complete as possible. We want to get this right and not face a situation where an offender could walk free because of a rushed or incomplete investigation”
How the police actually work is that if they suspect you of having committed a serious crime they lock you up for at least a year and forget about you. No trial, no nothing. They just leave you in boob for a year, hoping you will give up and plead guilty.
If you don’t plead guilty after a year in boob, then they start thinking about a trial and start gathering evidence.
If it ever goes to trial the defendant had better be able to prove their innocence to the jury because if they can’t prove their innocence to the jury, they will be convicted – even if they are completely innocent.
Hi Greg and Aaron. I’m so glad you two finally got the AVO orders. I hope that the police learn their lesson that just because you’re gay, doesn’t make you immune to injuries a straight person would endure, under the same circumstances. Good on the pair of you for not taking this lying down. Neither of you deserved what happened.
Correct me if I am wrong but in the week since S.S.O. broke this story on their front page there has not been one story on this hate crime against two young gay men in the general media press.
This would not be the case if it was a’beautiful young heterosexual couple’ chased down and brutally bashed with a metal pole…I’m sure the story would have made the front page of The Telegraph..and the public would be outraged.
We are in 2009 sadly still treated like second class citizens in our own country.