Former North Melbourne coach Dani Laidley suing police over leaked photos

Kieran Francis

Former North Melbourne coach Dani Laidley suing police over leaked photos image

Ex-North Melbourne coach Dani Laidley is suing Victoria Police after officers leaked photos of her in custody after she was arrested.

Laidley has filed a motion with the Victorian Supreme Court saying she has suffered injury, loss and damages following the spread of the images.

The 54-year-old was arrested and questioned inside St Kilda police station in May last year, with photos emerging soon after on social media of the ex-North Melbourne coach wearing a wig and make-up inside the police complex.

It has been found that a group of police officers engaged in circulating images among themselves of Laidley taken in the police station, before the images eventually found their way to the general public.

Six police officers involved have already been ordered to pay compensation - up to $3000 each - to Laidley after an internal disciplinary hearing was held over the incident, while three other police officers are currently before the courts on criminal charges over the leaked photos.

Laidley's writ says the suffering was caused after the images of her spread from police officers to the general public in Victoria and beyond - as she seeks aggravated and exemplary damages

It also claims that police breached duty of care by their conduct while she was in a state law enforcement facility and that a duty of care for her physical and psychological health was not shown.

"The nature of the first and second photographs and the words communicated by police officers of and concerning the plaintiff were such as to invite and expose the plaintiff to humiliation and ridicule,” the writ alleges.

"The plaintiff has been injured in her feelings, credit and reputation, has been brought into public ridicule and contempt and has suffered and continues to suffer injury loss and damage."

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.