A 70-year-old woman was allegedly punched by a Victorian police officer while she was in the hospital.
The officer was charged with recklessly inflicting injury and was removed from duty.
Victoria Police said that the 26-year-old policeman had been stood down following an internal investigation.
At the time of the alleged assault in April, Sylvia Villani was receiving medical attention at the Northern Hospital located in Epping.
She stated the alleged incident happened suddenly and suffered a shattered eye socket. “I dropped some bread on the floor.
I was wearing a plaster on my leg,” Villani said. “He punched me while I was in a wheelchair,” she said.
She claimed that her eye was left “black and blue” and that it hurt. “I can’t walk, I can’t sit, I’m buggered,” she stated.
“I have no idea why he did it. “I did call him some nasty names, I wasn’t happy, but I didn’t deserve it.”
Villani’s family claims that they were notified of the occurrence only by phone call from medical professionals.
Prior to his mother’s claimed assault, three police officers reportedly visited the hospital for a different incident, according to her son Rick Villani.
He says there has been no communication with his family.
“I know my mum’s got mental health, and she’s not perfect,” he stated.
“They’ve treated me, my wife and my mother with no respect.”
The male officer was on duty when the event happened, according to Victoria Police.
There is one count of recklessly inflicting injury against the officer.
On September 9, he will appear before the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court.
