Grindr Date Turns Into Alleged Police Assault For Sydney Gay Man
Image: Tristan Hockings (left). Image: Supplied
A Sydney-based gay man, who claims a NSW police officer kicked him in the head, damaging his hearing, during a home raid where he was a bystander, is seeking compensation from the state government.
NSW Police said the incident never happened.
The alleged victim Tristan Hockings told 17c起草社区 that the incident left him with PTSD, shattered his faith in the state鈥檚 police force and forced him to resign from his nursing job at a major Sydney hospital. While he has always had hearing problems and has long worn a hearing aid, he now needs a cochlear implant and an operation to have it inserted.
Grindr Date Turns Into Police Raid
On January 16, 2019, Tristan Hockings, then 36 years old, went on a Grindr date and slept in a Redfern home. On the morning of January 17, 鈥渢he sound of an angry mob鈥� woke him as a NSW Police tactical response team swept the premises as part of a drug raid targeting his date.
鈥淚t was absolutely terrifying,鈥� he recounted. 鈥淚 had my phone in my hand 鈥� I was about to call 000.鈥�
鈥淭he guy I was with at the time ran downstairs. I was upstairs in a stranger鈥檚 house all by myself.鈥�
Once Hockings realised the mob of men surrounding him were police, he calmed down, he told 17c起草社区. He was on the ground, restrained, and 鈥渆verything seemed to settle down鈥�.
Then, one police officer approached him 鈥渕aking stupid animal growling sounds, just being an absolute clown.鈥�
鈥淗e was looking side to side deliberately to attract attention,鈥� Hockings alleges, 鈥渁nd then he kicked me in the head. I was seeing stars.鈥�
Hockings, who has no criminal record, expressed confusion over the motivation for the alleged assault, theorising that it may have been 鈥渁 homophobic attack鈥�.
鈥淕oing up the stairs to the bedroom there was this Banksy artwork of two male English cops kissing.鈥�
The matter will be heard in the District Court of NSW in November this year.
No Help With Police Complaint
Hockings said that he has received little help during complaints processes, eroding his faith in police accountability. Days after the search warrant operation in which he became entangled, Hockings filed an official complaint with NSW Police.
鈥淚t took them 3 months for them to come to my home and interview me about the assault. They didn鈥檛 really take it very seriously,鈥� he said. Hockings next reached out to the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) to make a complaint.
鈥淟ECC lost my complaint for a year after the person in charge of my case left,鈥� Hockings recounted. 鈥淭hey then did a rush investigation which, surprise surprise, was referred back to the police which found no wrongdoing even though they referenced a takedown technique when I was never 鈥榯aken down鈥� as I [allegedly] got down on the ground myself.鈥�
‘I Used To Idealise The Police’
鈥淚 used to idealise the police. I wanted to be a cop myself,鈥� he said. But he says he doesn鈥檛 trust the police anymore. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 just this lone officer, this bad egg,鈥� he said, but the whole process which left him shaken.
鈥淚鈥檝e been stonewalled at every step of the way. How is the community meant to trust the police when stuff like this happens?鈥�
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley has refused to meet with him until after the court case.
鈥淚f I win the case, I鈥檓 hoping I can get criminal charges laid,鈥� Hockings said.
A NSW Police spokesperson said they could not comment as the matter is before the court.
An internal police investigation found that no officers involved in the home raid operation had stepped out of line. 鈥淣il sustained findings against any subject officer,鈥� read the letter from the police, dated September 4, 2019. His case was dismissed.
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