A policeman who tasered a Perth driver after pulling him over for a random breath test has pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault.
Senior Constable Grantley James Keenan, 46, who has been stood aside from operational duties, was charged earlier this month after the incident in Fremantle on March 31 last year.
Three police investigations were conducted but the Corruption and Crime Commission undertook its own probe, saying the internal reviews were flawed.
The incident was recorded by the driver's friend on his mobile phone, and the CCC said there were disparities between the description of events accepted by police investigators and the footage.
In its report released in March, the CCC said the driver, his wife and the friend were heading to a restaurant for dinner "but ended up with the driver being tasered in his vehicle for no good reason".
The driver hadn't been drinking but was directed to a car park where a yellow sticker defect notice was put on his car for oversized wheels, a cracked windscreen and a light bar installed on the top of the vehicle.
While this was happening, one of the occupants heckled a probationary constable, making comments such as "you are too poor to afford this car", which Keenan considered a "very minor bit of disorderly behaviour".
After the probationary constable told the driver he was "good to go", he flashed his lights a few times, which the officers described as "blinding" and "dazzling".
The driver then reversed his car out of the parking space and started to move forwards towards the exit, but Keenan said he was concerned the vehicle was heading towards the probationary constable.
He ran to the car, tried to pull the key out of the ignition and the driver was tasered after a brief struggle.
The driver was arrested and spent several hours in the police lock up.
He was told the next day all charges had been dropped.
The CCC formed an opinion of serious misconduct, saying Keenan's actions were unlawful, unreasonable and oppressive.
Keenan entered the pleas in Fremantle Magistrates Court on Monday and will face the same court again next week.
Australian Associated Press
