Former North Melbourne player and coach Dean Laidley will appear in a Melbourne court this morning charged with stalking.

Laidley was arrested on May 2 and accused of stalking a woman he met on Tinder. The 53-year-old was granted bail on Monday to attend a rehab facility.

Court documents from his bail hearing, obtained by news.com.au, accuse him of repeatedly calling the woman and attending her property, where he allegedly took photographs of her home and of the home’s underground carpark.

He allegedly phoned the woman 43 times on May 2 and loitered outside or near her home before police were called and he was arrested.

A VICTORIAN police officer is expected to be charged over the leaking of photos of former AFL player and coach Dean Laidley inside a police station.

Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton confirmed the male senior constable, from the southern metropolitan region, was suspended with pay on Monday.

He is expected to be charged with unauthorised access to police information.

The maximum penalty for the criminal charge is two years in prison or $40,000 in fines.

Mr Patton described the dissemination of the photos as “appalling”.

“It’s a breach of our values, it’s unlawful and criminal conduct and that’s the way we are treating it,” he told reporters.

Laidley was arrested on Saturday night outside a home in St Kilda and charged with stalking and other offences.

On Sunday, photos of the 53-year-old’s mug shot, as well as a photo of him in a long blonde wig and wearing a dress were disseminated on social media.

The latter photo appears to be taken from inside the police station looking into the interview room where Laidley was being questioned.

The photos subsequently appeared on the front page of the Herald Sun and The West Australian newspapers on Monday.

Mr Patton said six police officers were sent the photo by the senior constable via WhatsApp and could also face charges if it’s found they disseminated it further.

The police officer would also be subject to internal disciplinary measures and the corruption watchdog had been notified, he said.

Lawyers acting for Laidley, as well as civil liberties groups, have criticised the police officer’s actions.

“Outraged that pictures of my client, taken by some police officer, on the sly, when in custody in interview have hit the media. Typical #grossbreachofprivacy,” Laidley’s lawyer Dee Giannopoulo tweeted.

Another of his lawyers, Bill Doogue, also tweeted his anger.

“Disgraceful. Taking photos unlawfully and sharing them. And these were sneaky photos while in Police interview in Police Station by a Police Officer,” Mr Doogue said.

The Victorian Council for Civil Liberties described the release of the photos a “serious violation of Laidley’s human rights” with “transphobic overtones”.

“It appears that these images were released with the intention of publicly ‘outing’ Laidley,” the group said in a statement.

“Members of transgender and gender-non-conforming communities routinely report feeling distrustful towards police, and this incident will only further their concerns.”

LGBTIQ Legal, a branch of the community law service group St Kilda Legal Service, said they were concerned the incident would lead to further distrust of police officers.

“This incident requires an independent investigation as the first of many steps that are required for Victoria Police to do better for trans and gender non-conforming Victorians, many of whom have already experienced discrimination,” they said.

Laidley faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Sunday and will remain in custody until May 11 after not applying for bail.

He played 151 AFL games from 1987-97 and was an inaugural player at West Coast before joining the Kangaroos from 1993.

He played 99 games at Arden St, including their 1996 premiership before he succeeded Denis Pagan as North Melbourne coach in 2003 and in 149 games led them to the finals three times, before resigning during the 2009 season.

He then had assistant coaching roles at three AFL clubs until 2015. He is currently Essendon District Football League club Maribyrnong Park’s senior coach.  

Victoria Police has suspended an officer over an “appalling” privacy breach after he allegedly shared unauthorised images of former AFL coach Dean Laidley in custody inside a police station.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton said it was expected the officer would also be hit with criminal charges over the incident.

The photos were taken of former North Melbourne AFL coach Dean Laidley, who was remanded in custody over the weekend on allegations of stalking as well as other charges.

The 53-year-old from Moonee Ponds was arrested on Saturday night after an incident outside a St Kilda home about 9:00pm.

The 1996 North Melbourne premiership player faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Sunday.

The father of three did not apply for bail and remained in custody on Sunday evening.

Photo allegedly shared in WhatsApp group

Deputy Commissioner Patton said a male senior constable had been suspended with pay for allegedly taking the photos, which could constitute a breach of the Victoria Police Act for the unauthorised disclosure of information.

“It is expected he will be charged in due course,” Deputy Commissioner Patton said.

“He will also be subject to internal disciplinary action.”

Deputy Commissioner Patton said the criminal charge allows for penalties of up to two years in jail or close to $40,000 in fines, while the internal investigation could result in the officer being fined, demoted or sacked.

He said he was “appalled” that a Victoria Police officer had taken the photos.

“It’s not an authorised photograph and should not have been taken,” he said.

“It’s unacceptable conduct.

At a press conference this afternoon, Deputy Commissioner Patton said the senior constable had only recently been interviewed and it was still unclear exactly how many officers were involved.

He said he believed the photograph was shared on WhatsApp but it was unclear how the photos came to be on social media.

“It could be around six [people] that have had the photograph disseminated to them,” he said.

“We’ll continue that investigation. It is early days yet.”

Victoria Police apologises for ‘appalling’ breach of privacy

He said it was not clear whether the people who received the photos on WhatsApp were police members or civilians.

“That’s why we’re interrogating his phones,” he said.

“The investigation will explore who has committed any criminal offence in terms of forwarding or accessing information.

“If other [Victoria Police] members have, if you like, disseminated unauthorised information then they will potentially be facing exactly the same charges as this senior constable is.”

Deputy Commissioner Patton also apologised on behalf of the police force.

“The photograph has been taken inside a custody area, I understand, inside a police station,” he said.

“It’s not an authorised photograph and should not have been taken.

“Clearly we have let down that person who those photos were taken of. We’ve breached their privacy and I do apologise on behalf of Victoria Police.”

He said it was “one of the most appalling breaches” by an officer that he could remember.

“I cannot recall a breach of someone’s privacy like this, an individual when they’re in custody,” he said.

“It’s unlawful and criminal conduct and that’s the way we’re treating it.”

A police spokeswoman earlier said the Professional Standards Command had begun a “thorough investigation” into the photos and would be “looking at all aspects of the matter”.

“This is one of the most significant breaches of a person’s privacy and Victoria Police will not tolerate this sort of behaviour,” the spokeswoman said in a statement.

The matter has also been referred to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), Deputy Commissioner Patton said.

Lawyer ‘outraged’ over photos of client

Mr Laidley’s lawyer Dee Giannopolous wrote about the images on Sunday night, saying on Twitter she was “outraged” pictures of her client were allegedly “taken by some police officer, on the sly, when in custody in interview”.

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The director of the legal firm, Bill Doogue, described the apparent leak as “disgraceful”.

“Taking photos unlawfully and sharing them. And these were sneaky photos while in [a] police interview in [a] police station by a police officer,” he said.

“Police should investigate and those involved pull [the images] down immediately.”

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Mr Laidley played for the West Coast Eagles from 1987 to 1992 and North Melbourne between 1993 and 1997.

He was the senior coach at North Melbourne from 2003 to 2009 before holding assistant coaching roles at Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Carlton.

He finished his last AFL coaching role at the end of the 2015 season.

He is due to face court again on May 11.

AAP/ABC

Veteran AFL journalist Mike Sheahan claims he’s known Dean Laidley has liked to dress in women’s clothing for over a decade, but says there was never any grounds for him, or anyone in the media, to report it.

Laidley, 53, was photographed wearing a long blonde wig and a dress after his arrest outside a home in St Kilda on Saturday night.

Two senior Victorian constables this week were suspended over the leaked pictures of Laidley inside a Melbourne police station, with both likely to be charged with accessing police information without authorisation.

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Asked by Hawthorn legend Don Scott on the You Cannot Be Serious podcast whether he’d previously known Laidley enjoyed dressing in women’s clothing — and how long he’d known for — Sheahan said: “Yep … I’m guessing maybe 10 to 12 years.”

Scott then questioned why Sheahan, with that knowledge, didn’t further investigate or write about it when he was a full-time reporter.

Sheahan, the former chief football writer of the Herald Sun, replied: “Why should I have written something about a bloke who’s got a bent about what clothes he wears in private?

“Is that in the public interest in it?”

Sheahan said Laidley’s attire choices were only of interest to the public now because he’d been charged by police and the photos of him had been released.

“It’s sad isn’t it … (but) it’s not about being a cross-dresser, he’s facing serious criminal charges,” Sheahan said.

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“His situation is sad. But the issue about whether he’s a cross-dresser – and it was 10 or 12 years ago – if he’s not breaking any law … why would you write about it? And how is it in the public interest?”

Deputy Police Commissioner Shane Patton said on Monday that six police officers were sent the photos via WhatsApp and they could face charges if it’s found they disseminated them further.

The dissemination of the pictures of Laidley in the station’s interview room was an “appalling” act, Mr Patton said.

Laidley is facing stalking and other charges. He remains in custody until May 11 after not applying for bail.

Australian Lawyers for Human Rights said the behaviour of the officers who distributed the photos was alarming and it was an opportunity for Victoria Police to further support the trans and gender diverse community.

“The act of a police officer secretly taking a photograph of an accused person while the person is in custody is extremely dangerous,” ALHR President Kerry Weste said in a statement.

“It damages trust and confidence in the Victoria Police and it damages the community’s faith in the rule of law.”

— with AAP

An investigation could be launched after photos of former North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley wearing a wig and makeup during a police interview were leaked online.

The 53-year-old has been remanded in custody on one count of stalking after he was arrested in St Kilda on Sunday night.

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He remains behind bars after not applying for bail with further charges to be revealed at a court hearing on May 11.

“Police arrested a 53-year-old man on Saturday 2 May in relation to an incident outside (an) address in St Kilda about 9pm,” Victoria Police said in a statement on Sunday.

“He was charged with stalking and other matters.

“The Moonee Ponds man was held over to appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today, Sunday 3 May.

“He was remanded to appear at the same court on 11 May.

Laidley’s lawyer, Dee Giannopolous, blasted the release of the images, which also included a police profile shot, on Twitter.

They appeared to have been taken from inside the police interview room where, according to the West Australia, Laidley demanded to be called ‘Daniella’.

“Outraged that pictures of my client, taken by some police officer, on the sly, when in custody in interview have hit the media. Typical,” Giannopolous tweeted.

Lawyer Bill Doogue added: “Disgraceful. Taking photos unlawfully and sharing them. And these were sneaky photos while in Police interview in Police Station by a Police Officer.”

“Police should investigate and those involved pull down immediately.”

Victoria’s leading civil liberties advocate also slammed the leaked images.

“The images circulating of a high-profile arrest today are deplorable breach of privacy,” Liberty Victoria tweeted.

Disgraceful. Taking photos unlawfully and sharing them. And these were sneaky photos while in Police interview in Police Station by a Police Officer. FFS. https://t.co/XL57NIjDrg

— Bill Doogue (@billdoogue) May 3, 2020

“The transphobic overtones only serve to make the breach even more egregious.

“Not good enough @VictoriaPolice: we are watching,” the council wrote.

“Please deal with this unacceptable incident swiftly & properly. “

The father of three’s former manager, Ricky Nixon, tweeted: “Guess who’s the least surprised person in Aust. on Dean Laidley — if only the media knew what I knew”.

He later added that Laidley had confided in him regularly during the 15 years he managed him.

Laidley played 151 games for West Coast and North Melbourne, then coaching the Kangaroos for six and a half seasons. He won the 1996 premiership as a player.

The 53-year-old was arrested on Saturday night outside a home in St Kilda and was charged with stalking and other offences.

But his mug shot and a photo of him in a long blonde wig and wearing a dress, taken inside a police station, were leaked.

“Disgraceful. Taking photos unlawfully and sharing them. And these were sneaky photos while in Police interview in Police Station by a Police Officer,” one of his lawyers, Bill Doogue, tweeted.

“Police should investigate and those involved pull down immediately.” Victoria Police are investigating the dissemination of the images. Laidley, a 1996 premiership winner and later coach with the Kangaroos, faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Sunday and will remain in custody until May 11 after not applying for bail.

AFL great ‘is behind bars after being arrested on stalking and multiple other charges and NOT applying for bail’

• North Melbourne Kangaroos legend Dean Laidley is behind bars in Melbourne
• The 53-year-old was arrested after an incident in St Kilda on Saturday night
• Laidley was charged with stalking and other matters and did not apply for bail
• Do you know more? Contact jackson.barron@mailonline.com 

By Jackson Barron and Charlie Coë For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 04:50 EDT, 3 May 2020 | Updated: 08:50 EDT, 3 May 2020

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Fremantle has sanctioned two of the three players involved in a house gathering on Sunday night.

Despite the WA Police not charging the three Dockers players investigated for breaching coronavirus restrictions by attending a raucous house party, the Dockers have taken a stance.

The club has imposed sanctions on Luke Ryan and Jason Carter, with first-year player Michael Frederick avoiding a fine.

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Fallen AFL star Ben Cousins will return to court today to complete his bail application, as he prepares to fight nearly all new charges against him, including aggravated stalking in Perth.

The former West Coast Eagles captain was arrested on Wednesday after allegedly being found with about 2.5 grams of methamphetamine in East Victoria Park.

Police had earlier been searching for a vehicle that was seen driving erratically in nearby Kensington.

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Cousins, 41, was also charged with aggravated stalking and 13 counts of breaching a violence restraining order between April 2 and 15. Those charges relate to his ex-partner Maylea Tinecheff, whom he allegedly tried to contact via phone more than 100 times.