Former New England Senior Constable Nigel Douglas Kentish is one of two officers charged by officers from the Police Integrity Commission after an investigation into incidents in Armidale in 2009, and in later proceedings in court. The 60-year-old city local, who has since left the force, appeared in Armidale Local Court on Wednesday facing eight offences, which are alleged to have stemmed from a search of Janel Boekeman in September, 2009, at Armidale Police Station.

Co-accused Anthony Kirk, a serving sergeant in the Northern Region, did not appear in court and agent solicitor Clive Sharkey said he was instructed by a principle solicitor he wasn't required.

Kirk, 50, is charged with fabricating false evidence with intent to mislead a judicial tribunal and making a false statement on oath amounting to perjury after allegedly falsifying part of a statement he made in September, 2009, about what caused “Senior Constable Kentish to fall in the dock”, before allegedly making the statement under oath in court in July, 2010. 

The commission alleges Kentish assaulted Ms Boekeman on September 26, 2009, causing actual bodily harm.

The former veteran officer is then accused of fabricating false evidence in parts of an official police statement on the incident, with intent to mislead the Armidale Local Court in proceedings in October, 2010.

Kentish is also charged with making the false statements under oath on July 23, 2010, at Armidale. “Make false statement under oath, there are four of those charges,” Magistrate Darryl Pearce said as he examined the court papers.

Following an investigation by the commission, the pair were charged on December 15.

The Director of Public Prosecutions is taking on the matter.

Mr Pearce ordered a brief be served on the solicitors for the accused before the case returns to court in late March.