That is the headline in Today’s Advertiser regarding the Police Officer who investigated Mayor Clyne immediately after the last Last Government elections. And below is the transcript of the article.

An inquiry by the Police Ombudsman has recommended Detective Brevet Sergeant Mark Stanley be charged with three breaches of police regulations related to his alleged conduct during the course of police investigation.

The PO investigation was launched following a formal complaint by Ms Leonie Clyne, Lachlan’s mother, stemming from the alleged conduct of Bvt Sgt Stanley during a police search of her business premises on November 10, 2010, during the investigation into her son.

Police were investigating allegations Lachlan Clyne had stolen the identity information of mayoral rival Les Birch and published false documents using a fake email account during the 2010 local government elections.
He was charged with four counts of dishonestly dealing with documents and one count of using another person’s identity information to commit an offence. The charges were dismissed by deputy Chief Magistrate Dr Andrew Canon who ruled there was insufficient evidence.

Ms Clyne, a former police officer, lodged the formal complaint with the PCA in June, 2012, after a connected case was finalised in Adelaide Magistrates Court.

That case involved Lachlan Clyne’s lawyer Cormac McCarron, who had been charged with hindering police during the November 10 search at Ms Clyne’s Goodwood business. He was found not guilty by Magistrate Peter Snopek and was later awarded $37,550 in costs against police. Det. Bvt Sgt Stanley’s evidence was discredited in the trial and his conduct criticised by Magistrate Snopek.

In her complaint Ms Clyne alleged he had advised her that she could be compelled to answer his questions, that she was told she was not entitled to legal representation, that he was angry and abusive in his dealings with her and finally, that he made either false or misleading statements in police documents relating to the investigation of her son.

In her assessment and recommendation letter to Police Commissioner Gary Burns, Ms Bolt states that Bvt Sgt Stanley had acknowledged “ his handling of the matter was deficient’’ and he “recognises he was out of his depth when conducting this investigation.’’

In her assessment, which also examined the Mccarron case, Ms Bolt recommends Bvt Sgt Stanley be charged with a breach of discipline in relation to the first, second and fourth allegations. She states the third allegation concerning his alleged conduct towards Ms Clyne could not be substantiated.

Ms Clyne’s husband, Robert Clyne, yesterday said the investigation against his son was “political and it was vindictive’’ and had cost his family more than $100,000 in legal expenses that could not be recovered.
Assistant Commissioner Madeleine Glynn yesterday confirmed the recommendations were still being considered, but could not elaborate further because of the privacy provisions within the Act.