Racing identity assaulted by NSW police court finds

A racing identity was the victim of a brutal police assault, but he was the one to face charges and perjured police evidence, a Sydney magistrate has been told.

Tom Hughes Junior, barrister for Benedetto Forbello, was applying for his client's legal costs after a magistrate found him not guilty of four charges today.

Mr Forbello, 41, had been charged with offensive language, resisting arrest, hindering police in the execution of their duties and assaulting police following an incident outside the Royal Oaks Hotel at Double Bay in April last year.

In the Downing Centre Local Court, Mr Hughes said CCTV footage revealed Mr Forbello had been "jumped upon" by seven or eight police officers while his hands were cuffed behind his back.

He described photographs of the consequence of "that brutal assault" as "sickening" and said the attack included a policewoman "gratuitously and disgracefully" kneeing Mr Forbello in the groin.

He also said there were "21 identifying incidents of perjury" committed by one of the officers, who denied he had supplied his statement to other officers.

Magistrate Geoffrey Bradd will hand down his decision on the cost application next month.

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Your police won't protect you

They just walk around looking important afterwards. An armed bikie and threats of violence but NSW police didn't act

WHEN Melissa Cook went to Macquarie Fields police to file a complaint against her violent ex-husband, she thought the harassment would stop.

After receiving threatening calls from her former bikie partner John Kudrytch, Melissa and her mum Jean went to police on November 20, 2008. There was an active AVO in place and the Cook family thought the harassment classified as a breach. The case wasn't immediately dealt with.

Melissa's file is alleged to have sat in the police computer system for more than two weeks. On December 16, Kudrytch walked into a Casula BP and shot Melissa with a gun. He was later found dead. Three domestic violence case officers will take the stand today in the coronial inquest into Melissa's death.

Macquarie Fields police Constable Sarah Abela took a statement from Melissa about her ex-husband, a former senior Comanchero bikie who had access to rifles and guns.

Constable Abela lodged an initial "event" before it was verified as "low priority" by her superior Sergeant Peter Lonergan. The matter was supposed to be sent to Liverpool Police Station but wasn't.

Deputy State Coroner Scott Mitchell said he wanted to know why Melissa's concerns weren't taken more seriously.

When Constable Abela returned to work after several days' leave, the matter was still untouched so she re-submitted the complaint and it was again verified as "low priority".

Melissa's cousin Terry Campbell, a former Comanchero, gave evidence yesterday that he knew Kudrytch had access to weapons. When police found Kudrytch dead in his Pine Rd home they found a cache of weapons and ammunition.

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