A police investigation could be launched after photos were leaked of AFL great Dean Laidley being questioned after he was arrested for stalking and several other undisclosed charges.
The North Melbourne premiership player, who was arrested in St Kilda on Saturday night, appeared at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Sunday and did not apply for bail.
Victoria Police remained tight-lipped on the details of his arrest or ‘multiple’ other alleged offences but confirmed the leaking of the photos – which were widely shared online – have been referred to Police Professional Standards Command.
One apparently taken from inside a police interview room showed Laidley wearing a blonde wig, makeup and a dress as he was questioned by officers.
Police are set to launch an investigation after photos of AFL great Dean Laidley in police custody (one pictured) were leaked online as he was charged with stalking among a series of other undisclosed offences
One photo which appeared to show his mugshot taken from a police file was also leaked
Another leaked photo showed his mugshot as part of a Victoria Police file on a computer.
A Victoria Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday night: ‘Professional Standards Command has been notified of the matter. At this stage it would be inappropriate to comment further.’
The 1996 premiership player reportedly demanded to be called ‘Daniella’ during his police interview, according to The West Australian.
A high-profile Melbourne lawyer, who said she was representing Laidley, confirmed one of the photos showed her client.
The lawyer, Dee Giannopoulos, hit out at those who had leaked the photo in an angry Twitter post.
‘Outraged that pictures of my client, taken by some police officer, on the sly, when in custody in interview have hit the media. Typical,’ she wrote.
Laidley pictured as assistant coach of the Carlton Blues during a NAB Challenge AFL match in March 2015. The premiership player allegedly asked to be called ‘Daniella’ during his police interview
His lawyer Dee Giannopoulos appeared to confirm the photo was of her client on Sunday evening
It is believed the photo of Laidley being questioned was not a part of Victoria Police’s formal questioning process and was taken from outside the interview room.
Ms Giannopolous works for the law firm Doogue and George, and 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 pulled down immediately.’
A leading civil liberty body in Victoria also hit out at the leaking of the photos.
Ex-AFL player manager Ricky Nixon (pictured) also seemed to confirm the photo was of the footy great on social media
Laidley pictured at a press conference in June 2009 while the head coach of the North Melbourne Kangaroos
‘The images circulating of a high-profile arrest today are [a] deplorable breach of privacy,’ Liberty Victoria tweeted.
‘The transphobic overtones only serve to make the breach even more egregious. Not good enough @VictoriaPolice: we are watching.
‘Please deal with this unacceptable incident swiftly & properly. ‘
Nixon said he was ‘the least surprised person in Australia on Dean Laidley’ and claimed he had managed the former player, who confided in him regularly, for 15 years
Ricky Nixon, a former high-profile player manager who had Laidley among his clients, said he was ‘the least surprised person in Australia’ after news of the arrest became public on Sunday evening.
Nixon said Laidley confided in him regularly for 15 years.
Laidley will remain behind bars until he appears in court on May 11.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DEAN LAIDLEY
Laidley grew up in Balga in Perth’s north and played senior football for the West Perth Football Club.
He made his debut for the West Coast Eagles in 1987, where he played 52 games before being traded to the North Melbourne ahead of the 1993 season.
He won a premiership with the Kangaroos in 1996 and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2019.
His willingness to commit to contested balls earned him the nickname of ‘The Junkyard Dog’.
Laidley pictured when he signed as the coach of the North Melbourne Kangaroos in 2002 – signing a three-year deal with his former club
His coaching career includes seven seasons with the Kangaroos between 2003 and 2009.
Laidley also spent time with Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Carlton.
He and his family were attacked by bouncers at the Bounty night club in Bali after his daughter’s wedding in 2011.
His son received a broken jaw while Laidley required stitches after being hit in the head with a bottle.
He is currently a coach of Maribyrnong Park in the Essendon Districts Football League, having started there in 2019.
Further details surrounding Laidley’s arrest will be revealed at his court appearance.
After being dismissed as North Melbourne coach in 2009, Laidley served as an assistant coach at Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Carlton before leaving the AFL system in 2015.
He returned to football last year as coach of Essendon District Football League club Maribyrnong Park and last week spoke on a podcast about his life as coach of the semi-professional outfit.
‘Out of my 32 years of senior professional football, last year was probably in the top five or six years that I’ve had – it’s a great group,’ he said.
‘We want to be successful, yes, but we want parents to say ‘we want our kids to play for that football club because look at what they do and look at the people they develop’ – and that is really important.
‘When I finished in the AFL, I really cut myself off, and I did that on purpose.’
Laidley (pictured left with Carlton coach Mick Malthouse in 2015) was charged with stalking and other matters and will appear in court on May 11
Laidley also spoke about the team spirit within the club he coaches – which he said was a world apart from his AFL career.
‘Have I mellowed? Lots. It’s just not having the pressure of being an AFL coach,’ he said.
‘Our coaching group is very, very good, we are very close. On occasion, we just have nights when we close the door ourselves and sit there and get on the drink – it’s good for the soul.’
Laidley during a Carlton training session in April 2015. His coaching career includes seven seasons with the Kangaroos as well as time with Port Adelaide, Carlton and St Kilda
Laidley played 151 games for North Melbourne and West Coast before he retired in 1997.
He won a premiership with the Kangaroos in 1996 and was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame in 2019.
His coaching career includes seven seasons with the Kangaroos.