Former NSW Cop Jailed For Assaulting Trans Woman Anya Bradford Appeals Conviction
Image: Anya Bradford
A former NSW police officer who was jailed for assaulting Sydney-based trans woman Anya Bradford has appealed his conviction.
Trigger Warning: This story discusses police assaulting a trans woman, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
Former senior Constable Mark Follington was convicted in October 2021 over the violent and unlawful arrest of Bradford at a Liverpool pub in 2019. Follington was held guilty of falsifying records to show that Bradford had attacked him.
Follington was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 18 months. The former cop who spent around a year in jail, was released on bail pending the hearing of his appeal.
The appeal, seeking to overturn the conviction on grounds of Follington’s “cognitive impairment”, has been scheduled for hearing on January 14, 2024, reported News.com.au.
Copy Falsified Arrest Record
On May 7, 2019, police attended the Golden Fleece Hotel in Liverpool, Sydney, over suspected “drug activity” in the gaming room.
Police claimed that Bradford, who was playing at a poker machine, attacked them. They charged Bradford with assaulting an officer and she spent a night in jail. Follington told the court he grew suspicious of Bradford as she would not look him in the eye.
However, CCTV footage of the incident showed Follington pushing Bradford’s head into an ATM and later following her into another building. A second officer pepper-sprayed and tasered Bradford.
Traumatic Arrest
A court in 2021, said Follington had “no reason to arrest” Bradford and said that the officer had created a “false narrative”. The court said that Follington’s attempt at falsifying the arrest record to charge Bradgroed with a crime, “struck at the very heart of the criminal justice system”.
Follington pleaded “not guilty” to the charges. The court found him guilty of two counts of common assault, one count of tampering with evidence with intent to mislead a judicial tribunal, acting with intent to pervert the course of justice and modifying restricted data, assault and falsifying evidence.
In her victim impact statement, Bradford said that the arrest was traumatic and every time she sees a police officer “I get anxiety and a fight-or-flight response.”
