NSW cop denies Woolies assault on man, 73

A Sydney police officer will fight charges of recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm over an alleged assault on an elderly man who later died in hospital.

People walk past a Woolworths, Town Hall, Sydney.

A NSW policeman has denied pushing an elderly man to the ground in a supermarket, a court has heard. (AAP)

A police officer who allegedly pushed an elderly man to the ground in a Sydney CBD supermarket will fight charges of reckless grievous bodily harm.

Leonard Batholomuesz suffered hip injuries in the alleged assault at the Town Hall Woolworths on the morning of April 30 last year.

The 73-year-old was rushed to hospital but his condition deteriorated and he died within a week.

It took more than a year for police to charge Antonio Saffioti, a constable attached to a specialist command, with recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The 51-year-old faced Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Saffioti, who is not in custody, did not speak to waiting media as he left the court.

A NSW Police spokesman said the officer had been suspended with pay.

He'll be back in court in September.


Share

1 min read

Published

Updated


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world