An Australian police officer who lost his job after a beauty therapist accused him of deliberately exposing his genitals has won an appeal, which found his dismissal was harsh and unfair.
The unnamed officer from Victoria was sacked in February 2019 after the therapist claimed he deliberately exposed his erect penis during a bikini wax in 2017.
He was found guilty of "disgraceful conduct" following an internal investigation, but the former officer appealed to the Police Registration and Services Board - which ultimately rejected the findings.
The beauty therapist claims that during the wax appointment in March 2017, the officer, who was off-duty at the time, removed his underwear against her request. He then exposed himself by completely removing a privacy towel and asked her to wax further.
"As I was waxing him he asked if I could go a little further and lifted the towel to reveal that his penis was erect," she told police in a statement.
The beauty therapist told her manager and police what had happened, but didn't make formal statements until September and October that year.
The officer admitted to taking off his underwear despite not being asked to, but said he "held my bits through the towel".
"I never had an erection, I never exposed myself. The towel was on me the whole time," he said.
"I know it didn't happen so I don't know where she's coming from or why she's targeting me in this way."
The Police Registration and Services Board found his dismissal was "harsh, unjust and unreasonable" because the inquiry didn't prove he was guilty to the required standard.
Victoria Police challenged this finding, arguing the board doesn't have jurisdiction in the Court of Appeal. However, on Thursday, three judges in the court dismissed it.
