Police officer accused of attacking elderly man will defend himself against the charge.

A police officer, Senior Constable Dean George Valesini, is facing accusations of assaulting an elderly man who may have dementia. The incident occurred at a home in Picton, a town southwest of Sydney, after the officers responded to a domestic violence-related call from an elderly woman on January 21st at around 9pm.

The 92-year-old man, Ronald Hodge, was arrested and handcuffed by the officers before being taken to the hospital due to a fracture in his right elbow and significant bruising on his head and arms. It was later revealed that the man may have been suffering from dementia, according to NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb.

During the internal investigation, it was discovered that both officers were charged with one count of assault causing actual bodily harm. One of the officers, the constable, is also facing an additional charge of common assault. However, Senior Constable Valesini was not present at the first listing of the case at Campbelltown Local Court on Tuesday.

His lawyer, Michael Burns, informed the registrar that the 36-year-old would be pleading not guilty to the charges. The court has granted more time for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to serve all evidence on Valesini and his legal team, as they are handling the case instead of police prosecutors.

There have been no bail conditions imposed on Valesini, and the crown prosecutor did not apply for any measures during the hearing. The case is scheduled to be heard at Downing Centre Local Court on September 24th. The other constable involved in the alleged assault will have his first hearing in front of Campbelltown Local Court on August 6th.

This incident involving Hodge is reminiscent of the tragic death of a great-grandmother with dementia in May 2023. The woman was tasered by an officer at her nursing home in Cooma while holding a knife. For those in need of support, organizations like Lifeline and Beyond Blue offer assistance. The National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service can also be reached at 1800RESPECT.

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