Sit here. >> On the 31st of October, 2023, police were called to the Beach Drive Motel in Batemans Bay on the New South Wales South Coast following reports of an alleged attempted home invasion involving a group of teenagers. Among the responding officers was Southern Region Senior Constable Brett David Lindsay. Body worn camera footage later played in court shows Lindsay and another officer arriving at the motel and beginning their group. The footage first shows the officers canvassing nearby units and speaking with occupants as they attempted to locate the teenagers believed to be involved. After making inquiries around the motel, the officers located the unit where the teenagers were believed to be staying. In accordance with court documents and for privacy reasons, the names of the teenagers involved have been blurred and redacted. >> Yeah, these two. >> Two kids outside there. You need to kick them out. >> There's no one in. >> I'm [ __ ] looking at it. >> He said you >> Must be. Sit down. >> Straight talk, gentlemen. >> Hello, what do I do? >> Sit. >> I've just been sitting here. >> Sit. >> But I ain't showing you. >> Is there a third one? You know I'm coming out, look. >> Yeah. >> Behind the curtain there, anyway. >> What? I don't know that. Come on man. [ __ ] lady doing that. You're under arrest. Spread your legs. Help me get in. Yeah, yeah. Maybe [ __ ] I'm [ __ ] >> Control. >> Where are you? I just got another car through Beach Drive Motel. On the chair, mate. On the chair. So you guys know I'm recording now. I've got you off at 28 Golf Links Drive. Famous place. Is that not where you are? No, no, I'm at Beach Drive Motel at the moment. Okay, stretch please. Yeah, sure. >> Am I going to the cells? >> Probably, mate. >> What do I do? >> Just sit. >> Sit. Both of you sit in the office, you. >> Just sit down. >> The court later heard that during this interaction, Lindsay forced two boys aged 14 and 17 to the ground. During the arrest, Lindsay also punched the older boy in the collarbone. >> Take a seat. What? Sit down. Just sit, mate. You want a [ __ ] punch? You'll get one, mate. Sit down. I told you to sit. Now sit. You're a Sit on the ground. Sit on the [ __ ] ground. >> You're welcome. You're welcome. You're welcome. You're welcome. Mummy's you are. You're welcome. Good boy. You're welcome. >> You're under arrest. All of your under arrest. >> You're welcome. You're welcome. You're welcome. You're welcome. >> You're saying like a clan. >> You're welcome. Mummy's you are. You're welcome. Are you too young? You're welcome. >> Just sit on the ground. >> Wait, leave now. Leave now. Leave now. Leave now. Leave now. on the ground. Run, you gronk. Stop being What are you going to [ __ ] do? Just sit. Shut the [ __ ] up. >> You're welcome. >> Sit there. >> I've seen you down here before. >> Yeah, I'll stand up. >> Well, I was. >> My partner's going to search you and then he's going to put you in the truck. >> Stop grabbing me like >> You're dribbling. >> What are you doing? >> Okay. >> What are you doing? What the [ __ ] >> What the [ __ ] My dog like >> You're under arrest. You know what you did? >> I didn't do nothing. That's the thing. >> Rubbish. >> I didn't even >> What did you do against >> Mummy. >> And then he came back. And then he started talking to me. He stabbed me, he pissed me off. >> You're welcome. >> Stay here, mate. Stay here. >> You're welcome. >> Stay like that, mate. >> You're welcome. You're welcome. You're welcome. You're welcome. Mummy's you are. Are you kidding? You're welcome. You're welcome. Ah. [ __ ] me. Ah. Ah. Ah. Stop. Ah. Keep going. Ah. Ah. Ah. Ah. Get out of idiot. >> You're welcome. Ah. Do you think you got a bit rough there, cuz? >> Shut up. >> Shut up. >> Stand up, mate. >> Sit. It's a pretty simple conversation with you, mate. Do you have a key? Take your sand bag off. Shut up. Stop talking. >> Yes. >> Stop talking. >> It means stop talking. >> You're under arrest. Whatever you're involved with that's in this place, all right? >> We'll figure it out later. >> Turn up, say or do anything you don't want to do. You understand anything you say or do will be recorded, okay? Have you got any pockets for Anything in your pockets? >> Only my phone. >> Yeah, yeah, okay. Sorry, mate. >> The teenagers were then arrested and taken to Batemans Bay police station. Footage from inside the station shows the boys in the cells, where they are heard yelling abuse at Lindsay and other officers, calling them white gronks, dogs, and homophobic slurs. >> [laughter] >> Only hours after one of the teens was released from custody, he threatened to snap Lindsay's neck and was re-arrested. He later pleaded guilty to that threat. >> Get out. >> Sir, I paid for that food. >> Yeah, the door now. Don't listen to that. Not paid to deal with it. I said to him, "Come back in on Saturday." If he wants to bring a fight, I'll receive him on Saturday, that's fine. But he is going to be out at 2:00 in the morning. Oh, oh, suck your neck. [ __ ] under arrest, mate. Suck my neck. [ __ ] desperate to go. >> The other teenagers faced no charges. Following the incident, an internal investigation was launched into Lindsay's conduct. That investigation later led to Lindsay being arrested and charged in 2024. The second officer who attended the Beach Drive Motel was not charged. In August 2025, Lindsay appeared before Batemans Bay Local Court, where he denied the allegations. After a two-day hearing before Magistrate Doug Dick, Lindsay was found guilty and convicted of three counts of common assault. He was sentenced to a two-year community correction order, supervised by Community Corrections, and was ordered to undergo any treatment or counseling deemed necessary. Lindsay later appealed his convictions in Sydney's Downing Centre District Court. During that hearing, the court was again shown body worn camera footage from Lindsay and his colleague. >> [music] >> The court heard that Lindsay and his partner had attended the Batemans Bay Motel to locate the teenagers as part of the suspected home invasion investigation. Lindsay's defense lawyer, Ahmed Muta Salem, argued that the use of force was needed to de-escalate the situation and prevent the teenagers from lashing [music] out or running away. The defense also submitted that the officers were outnumbered with four teenagers and a woman present, and that Lindsay had prior dealings with both boys. Judge Laura Gallagher accepted that it was a high-pressure moment, noting the pressure of the events and the agony of the moment. However, the judge said the issue was whether Lindsay's use of force was reasonably necessary. She found that it was not. Judge Gallagher said the situation had been calm before Lindsay immediately, quickly, and forcefully moved toward the 17-year-old and pulled him to the ground with strength and vigor. The situation was, up until that moment, calm, Judge Gallagher said. The judge also found that Lindsay's treatment of the 14-year-old boy was excessive. It was not a gentle placing to the ground, she said, but rather an energetic forcing to the ground by a large man. The third assault charge related to the moment Lindsay punched the older boy in the collarbone during a scuffle on the ground. The defense argued Lindsay was acting to stop the teenager [music] from taking his appointments, including his firearm, but Judge Gallagher ruled that the force he used was not reasonable [music] and that Lindsay was not acting in self-defense at the time. Any assault against a child must be taken very seriously by the courts and must be deterred, Judge Gallagher said. In dismissing the appeal, Judge Gallagher found that the use [music] of force against both boys was unnecessary, unreasonable, and excessive. The court also heard that Lindsay suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his service with New South Wales police. I accept that Lindsay was suffering from PTSD at the time and that is one of the reasons he acted in the way that he did, Judge Gallagher said. However, [music] she found that the original sentence imposed by the local court was adequate, noting the victims were vulnerable and that Lindsay had shown no remorse. New South Wales police confirmed that Lindsay stopped serving as a police officer in January 2026 following a period of suspension with pay. His appeal was dismissed and his conviction for three counts of common assault remains in place. Thank you for watching. 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