The detectives did the covert taping because they feared being pressured to treat the attack as a random one by an unknown offender, rather than as a suspected case of domestic violence.
They claim the tapes, which have been given to the Office of Police Integrity, contain evidence of attempts by senior police to pervert the course of justice.
The OPI refused a Herald Sun request to reveal whether it had recommended disciplinary action be taken after its investigation found "a perception of favourable treatment towards the senior officer".
"To an observer, it could appear as though the woman's husband used his police authority and his friendship with senior police to avoid being investigated as a potential suspect," said a recent OPI report on the incident.
"A reasonable member of the public, properly informed, is unlikely to be confident this matter was properly handled by Victoria Police."
But Victoria Police yesterday hit back, saying there was no evidence the senior officer attacked his wife and accusing detectives at the country station of being involved in a vendetta to blacken his name.
His wife claimed she was assaulted from behind by an unknown offender while out walking after midnight.
The Herald Sun has seen confidential police documents that cast doubt on the victim's version of events.
Those documents contain claims by the detectives who investigated the assault that they were pressured by their bosses not to treat the victim's husband as a suspect.
The detectives claim they warned their bosses that the case should be handled by the force's Ethical Standards Department.
Documents seen by the Herald Sun reveal the victim's partner was promoted to be in charge of the investigating officers within days of the assault, and one of the detectives later made bullying allegations against the officer.
Those confidential documents show the bullying allegations were substantiated by an independent inquiry in April this year.
A Victoria Police spokesman said yesterday the force was standing by the officer.
"There never has been any evidence to suggest that the victim's assailant was her partner," he said. "If there had been, then the matter would have been referred to ESD as a matter of priority.
"To the contrary, police believe they know who the offender was and the investigation continues.
"It should also be noted that whilst an independent investigation was commissioned into a complaint of bullying, its findings were not accepted by the relevant assistant commissioner as it was judged to have been an entirely unsatisfactory investigation."
heraldsun 8 Nov 2010
There is always some sort of cover up in the Police Force to pervert the cause of 'justice'.
Even if ANY evidence sees the light of day, it is usually the whistle blower that is in danger and NOT the criminal.
That is the way of the oppressive power.
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