Six former and serving NSW police officers have been charged with perjury and assault for lying to the police watchdog over the "violent" arrest of a young man.
The charges come after the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) found the north coast officers subjected then-23-year-old Corey Barker to "brutal and violent" treatment but instead claimed Mr Barker had hit an officer.
The fresh charges stem from Barker's arrest in January 2011 after a late night confrontation between his mates and police in a Ballina street.
Barker was later charged with a string of offences, including assaulting Senior Constable David Hill.
However, the credibility of the evidence from six officers about what happened that night came into question after Ballina Magistrate David Heilpern viewed CCTV footage - initially thought to be damaged.
Mr Heilpern referred the case to the PIC after finding the footage from the police station did not show Mr Barker throwing a punch.
Mr Barker's assault case was also thrown out of court.
In a damning report last year, the PIC stated the officers slammed Mr Barker into a bin and a chair before swinging him into a machine.
He was then allegedly forced to the ground and kicked in the head.
Mr Barker was handcuffed and dragged along the floor on his stomach by his arms to a cell where he was left in handcuffs for more than hour, according to the PIC report.
The PIC found that Hill and Constables Lee Walmsley, Ryan Eckersley and Luke Mewing used excessive force against Mr Barker.
The watchdog also alleged the officers lied about the arrest, alongside Senior Constable Mark Woolven and former Sergeant Robert McCubben.
The PIC confirmed on Tuesday that charges had been laid.
Walmsley and Mewing, who is no longer a police officer, have been charged with five and six offences respectively, including perjury and common assault.
Eckersley is facing similar charges.
Hill has been charged with eight offences, including perjury and assault.
Woolven and McCubben are charged with perverting the course of justice and fabricating evidence.
All men will appear in Downing Centre Local Court on July 17.
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