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It was alleged
O'Loughlin and four other armed robbery squad detectives had falsified a record
of interview in order to wrongly convict a man of armed robbery.
One of the
detectives was named as Armed robbery squad head, Inspector Gordon Maxwell
Williams.
The inquiry was told
that McGowan was pressured by O'Loughlin and fellow officer Graham Irwin
Sinclair (later promoted to head road laws enforcement) to falsely name Hamilton
as his co-offender in the record of interview at a police station.
Further more
it was revealed that O'Loughlin had been on a trip with Grant and other police
in a car to various spots around Melbourne to apparently assist in fabricating
evidence against Hamilton.
During the inquest Beach stated that he found some
evidence supplied by O'Loughlin to be clearly false and thus perjury.
Neil later became
the head of the special operations group.
On January 4,
1985, Thomas Messinger was shot dead at 17 St. Martins Court, Wantirna by an SOG
team led by Neil O'Loughlin.
Messinger was the
best friend of Phillip Grant Wilson.
The two were aligned with neo nazi groups.
Wilson was a suspect in the
1984 bombing of Police HQ at Russell St.
He was not
charged but shot dead five years later.
Much of the evidence
given by O'Loughlin at the ensuing inquest was seen as ranging from extremely
questionable to doubtful.
However the coroner presented a finding of justifiable
homicide.
Neil
O'Loughlin was to become Deputy Commissioner, and in charge of investigating
police, as head of the Ethical Standards Department.
In 1992 Neil
O'Loughlin was awarded the Australian Police Medal.
Neil progressed
through the ranks and fro inspector to chief superintendent during nine years at
the protective security group before his promotion to force command in 1993.
After three years as
assistant commissioner (crime) he took over the ethical standards department and
presided over the window-shutters corruption investigation, Operation
Bart.
The conflict between
command and the Police Association over the way disciplinary matters were dealt
with during that time period has left some lingering bitterness on both sides.
He regards his
fallout with the association over disciplinary issues, which prompted him to
join other commissioners in resigning from it in 2001, as a low-light of his
career.
Neil O'Loughlin,
oversaw the bloody charges against S11 protesters at the World Economic Forum,
Sept 11, 2000.
On March 9, 2001,
Neil O'Loughlin was appointed as acting Chief Commissioner after the retirement
of Neil Comrie.
He has been appointed by Governor in Council as temporary
leader for up to two months.
"Neil
O'Loughlin is a highly decorated, highly distinguished police officer who has
more than capably filled in for Mr Comrie
for periods of time,'' Police Minister Andre Haeymeyer said.
"We have no
doubt about his ability to fill those shoes now.''
Mr
Haermeyer's comments came as media reports speculated that the shortlist was
down to three.
Talk in police circles has been strong that the three were Deputy Commissioner
Peter Nancarrow, Assistant Commissioner Noel Ashby and NSW's most senior
policewoman, Assistant
Commissioner Christine Nixon.
On July 22, 2001
the Herald Sun reported the discovery of a secret police fund containing up to
$8m.
The Victoria Police Provident Fund Trust is controlled by Chief
Commissioner Christine Nixon and two deputies.
The Police Association wrote to
Deputy Commissioner Neil O'loughlin, expressing concern over the funds
management in August 2000.
The association informed him that they were concerned
about the administration of the Police Fund and the use of apartments.
A
response was not received until May 2001, stating simply that "the policy
is under review by the trustees."
The fund was
apparently established to assist police but it's existence was almost unknown to
most police officers.
It had been used to purchase property including flats in
Elgin Street, Carlton.
They were purchased in June 1998 by then Chief
Commissioner Neil Comrie, former deputy Commissioner Graham Sinclair and Mr
O'loughlin on behalf of the Provident Fund.
Police Command
refused to give the Herald Sun information about the fund. One spokesman said
"they're not telling you anything about it because they don't have to.
The
fund was a separate entity from Victoria Police".
The Police
association, headed by Sen.-Sgt Paul Mullet queried the funds existence and
believed that many more questions need to be asked of the funds administrators.
Chief Commissioner
Nixon said that "the Provident Fund had operated since the 1920's and it
assists hundred of members each year. It provides welfare to members
On August 30,
2001, the Herald Sun reported that Neil O'loughlin was to retire from the police
force when his term a s Deputy Commissioner in February 2002.
He is thought to be
the only Victorian policeman to have ever served at every rank from junior
police trainee to chief commissioner, a post he filled in 2001 between the
retirement of Neil
Comrie and the appointment of Christine
Nixon.
On April 17, 2002 Bill
Kelly, the man who negotiated a better pay deal for police, was appointed to
replace Neil O'Loughlin.
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