A former Bendigo police officer charged with illegally accessing information has failed a bid to keep his name suppressed from media coverage of the proceedings.
Jeremy Davey, 38, is charged with six counts of unauthorised access and disclosure of police information.
At the time of the alleged offences he was a uniform officer serving at the Bendigo police station.
He has since resigned from the police force but still lives in Bendigo.
Davey appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates Court yesterday and indicated he would plead guilty to the charges at a later court date.
Davey’s defence counsel Megan Aumair requested the matter be adjourned to another jurisdiction for the plea hearing due to the “sensitive nature of the case”.
But the request was denied by the magistrate, Ian von Einem.
“Whether a person is a police officer, a lawyer or anything else, charges should be heard in the places they were committed,” he said.
“The matter is already in the public domain. There’s nothing to stop the media attending in Melbourne or Geelong.
“I believe the matter should be heard in Bendigo.”
Ms Aumair then requested a suppression order, barring the media from naming her client, because of the harm it might cause Davey’s two children.
This was also denied by Mr von Einem.
“I would have to have some evidence the children were in danger,” he said.
“It’s an offence against police regulations, I don’t see it as involving the children.”
The case was adjourned to the Bendigo Magistrates Court on April 10 for a plea of guilty.
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