The police commissioner says he is legally bound to reinstate a sacked officer who had a rape conviction quashed.
Karl O’Callaghan previously lost confidence in the officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
He was fired in 2008 after being found guilty of raping a 15-year-old girl in Kalgoorlie before he joined the force.
But after his conviction was quashed the officer appealed to the Industrial Relations Commission, which ruled he should get his job back.
Mr O’Callaghan took the matter to the Court of Appeal, which dismissed his challenge.
The commissioner issued a two-line statement on the matter today.
“Suffice to say that I have previously lost confidence in this officer, and none of these (court) decisions provides me with any guidance as to how my original loss of confidence can simply be regained,” he said.
“However, legally I must abide by the direction of the IRC.”
Police Union president Russell Armstrong said the officer deserved to be reinstated and the commissioner had wasted time and money appealing the IRC ruling.
