Top cop gives gun to prostitute Pamela

Senior Constable Steven Owen was fined $1500 without conviction, which was not opposed by Ms Morkos.

When Leading Senior Constable Steven Owen arrived at the Harem brothel in South Melbourne, he was on duty, in uniform, armed - and ready for action.

The highly regarded policeman had been told earlier in the day by his supervisor at Traralgon to drive to Melbourne to undertake various administrative duties.

Melbourne Magistrates Court heard yesterday that booking a one-hour lunchtime session with "Pamela" at Harem definitely was not one of those duties.

Prosecutor Vivianne Morkos said Owen, 45, made the appointment under a false name while driving from Traralgon and entered Harem about 1pm on March 5 after parking his marked police car nearby.

Ms Morkos told the court he was in full uniform and wearing his police-issue equipment belt containing handgun, capsicum spray and baton.

Having paid, Owen was led by Pamela to room 1, where she told him the services would not start unless the gun was removed from the room.

Ms Morkos said: "The prostitute advised (Owen) that there is a room in reception where the handgun could be locked away for the duration of the session.

"(Owen) has removed his equipment belt ... and handed the entire belt and contents to the prostitute and asked her to lock it in the room downstairs."

Ms Morkos told magistrate Peter Reardon that the prostitute carried the items downstairs, but she felt so uncomfortable handling them that a colleague took possession of them.

This prostitute waited for the receptionist to unlock the door to the storage room where the belt and gun - which had been unloaded by Owen - were put on the floor.

Ms Morkos said later that the manager was shown the gun in the room next to the reception lounge and waiting room and which was exposed to clients.

Defence barrister Tim Walsh said Owen had spent $16,000 in three months on dozens of five and six-hour sessions with Pamela, which were "more talking than sex", after his wife of 20 years abruptly left him.

Mr Walsh said Owen, embarrassed, ashamed and bewildered by his offending, had suddenly become a single parent of three children while "still trying to function normally as a police officer".

Owen pleaded guilty to allowing an unlicensed person to carry a firearm and carrying a firearm in an unsafe manner.

Mr Reardon told Owen the vice in the offences was not that he was at Harem, but that he was on duty with a weapon that he gave away without knowing if it was stored properly.

Mr Reardon said that although it appeared to friends and colleagues that Owen was acting normally, "inside you were not acting rationally".

Owen was fined $1500 without conviction, which was not opposed by Ms Morkos. Mr Reardon told him that "like most people, you are entitled to a chance in life to retain your good character".

Police criticised as OPI hearing wraps up

The head of an Office of Police Integrity (OPI) inquiry is expected to call for stronger ethical guidelines within Victoria Police when he tables his report in Parliament.

This week's hearing into police corruption has ended, with convenor, Murray Wilcox QC, highly critical of the amount of gossip among officers.

Several detectives gave evidence about whether they interfered with an investigation into the murders of police informer, Terrence Hodson, and his wife Christine in 2004.

The hearing was played secretly recorded phone conversations, where the detectives discuss confidential details related to OPI hearings.

Mr Wilcox also questioned a detective, who cannot be named, about his relationship with former Detective Sergeant, Paul Dale, who is suspected of involvement in the Hodson murders.

Mr Wilcox will prepare a report for Parliament and has indicated he will call for more guidelines on conduct and ethics within Victoria Police.

Police breath test for mates probe

The Police Integrity Commission is investigating whether police officers at Moree and Orange took breath tests for mates, including the son of a fellow police officer, so they would not be charged with drink driving.

The Commission is looking at two incidents including one at Moree last year in which it will be alleged a man who registered a mid-range reading at a roadside breath test was allowed to skip his second test at the police station and drive home because he worked for Corrective Services.

It will be alleged a police officer did the test for him and registered a blood alcohol reading of zero.

In the second case in Orange last year, the son of a police officer blew a reading of more than 0.02 at a road side random breath test, which is a high range reading. After his father was contacted he was escorted home and someone else did the second test at the police station on his behalf, his reading was officially registered as zero.

Both cases came to the attention of senior police who began the investigation before they were handed over to the Commission.

In his opening address counsel assisting the Commission, David Staehli, said whatever the findings "it is anticipated that there will be shown to be amongst some officers a view of their obligations which is at best inconsistent with their duties as enforcers of the law and at worst plainly criminal".

Updated 3:48pm (AEST)

Officer denies drink-drive corruption claim

The inquiry's has heard that in September last year, Corrective Services officer David John Webb recorded a reading of 0.134 when he was pulled up by police at Moree. It is alleged he got out of the charge after calling his boss, John Arthur Weavers. Mr Weavers told the inquiry he called his friend Jeffrey Budd at the station, but said it was just a courtesy call. In the witness stand, Mr Weavers said he was very drunk at home when Mr Webb called him. He said he cannot remember details, but admitted it is possible he asked Inspector Budd, who is now the duty officer at Tamworth, to do the best he could for Mr Webb. He did not deny suggesting a police officer blow into the bag to record a reading of zero. Mr Webb was later allowed to drive home with a police escort. Mr Webb has also given evidence in which he admitted to buying a policeman a beer after the incident, but denied it was to return the favour. The inquiry continues.

Updated 6:35 (AEST)

Breath tests faked by police

TWO policemen have admitted falsifying a breath analysis so a prison guard from their station could escape a drink-driving charge, alleging senior police and Corrective Services officers gave them "the green light". Senior Constable Phil Smith said the Corrective Services Assistant Superintendent for Moree, John Weavers, called when he heard about Mr Webb's arrest and told him to "get someone else to blow in the bag". Mr Webb was allowed to drive home and Mr Smith blew into the bag to produce a clean result.

Another constable, James Boaden, wrote a false address and occupation on the incident sheet, and falsely quoted Mr Webb as saying "thank goodness" when the reading was done. Mr Smith told Mr Boaden that "if everything does turn to shit, we will just stick to our story". But when he discovered there was an investigation into the incident, "I spoke to Constable Boaden and told him to tell the truth." Mr Smith said he told Mr Webb he was lucky to escape the charge. Mr Boaden told the commission he heard Mr Smith discuss Mr Webb's situation with his superior, Inspector Geoffrey Budd, over the phone. "[Mr Smith told me] we have been given the green light … I was under the impression that a certain course of action was expected from us." When asked whether he believed something improper would follow, he said: "Yes." The hearings continue today.