A MELTON police officer has been given his second good behaviour bond without conviction, this time after he pleaded guilty to stalking a woman.
Senior Constable Andrew Griffin, 39, now suspended, sent the woman 60 text messages, 11 emails and three handwritten letters in a three-month period in early 2008.
According to court documents, on one occasion, in February 2008, she returned a shirt to Myer that she had previously bought as a Christmas gift for Griffin.
When he learnt that she had taken it back, Griffin bought the shirt and sent her a text message with a picture of him wearing it.
Another time, Griffin arrived at the victim’s house and was told he was not allowed inside. But then, as she moved away from the front door, he began yelling at her.
He followed the victim around the house from the outside, talking to her through the windows. He left only when she threatened to call police.
Last Thursday, Griffin appeared in Ballarat Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to one count of stalking and was sentenced to a good behaviour bond without conviction, including an order to pay $500 to the court fund.
The sentence was identical to one handed down in 2009, when he fronted court over an incident in which he smashed the windscreen of another police officer’s car with a cricket bat.
A police spokesman said Griffin has been suspended with pay since March 22 and would now be the subject of a discipline inquiry at a date to be set.
He said Griffin’s suspension status would be reviewed by the ethical standards department.
Ballarat Courier
