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A SIX-year-old girl and her teenage brother are suing a corrupt
former detective over a police raid where machineguns were
allegedly pointed in their faces.
The children and partner of Bandidos motorcycle gang member
Robert Kim Sloan have lodged County Court writs accusing police
of assault, battery and inducing fear.
The March 2000 raid on Mr Sloan's Geelong house led to him being
sentenced to more than four years' jail on drugs charges. Mr
Sloan had argued during his trial that the drugs, which were
found during the third search of his house, were planted by
police.
After spending five months behind bars, Mr Sloan was released and
his conviction quashed after the arrest of one of the officers
involved in the raid, former drug squad detective Stephen Paton.
Paton has since been jailed for drug trafficking.
Mr Sloan's children and partner have joined him in launching
claims for compensation over the raid and for the time he spent
in prison.
In County Court documents Latia Sloan, who was one month short of
her second birthday at the time of the raid, alleges she was
confronted by heavily armed Special Operations Group officers.
She was threatened with a gun, commands were shouted at her, and
despite crying, she was detained and deprived of the comfort of
her mother, the writ states.
Latia Sloan is suing via her legal guardian, her mother, Karen
Gray. She is seeking damages for emotional distress from the raid
and psychological damage from her separation from her father
while he was in jail.
She is claiming damages from Paton, two other detectives and the
State of Victoria.
In a separate writ Mr Sloan's teenage son, Martin, aged 14 at the
time of the raid, is seeking damages on the same grounds as his
sister.
Both children allege the SOG used excessive force.
The civil actions are not expected to be heard in court until
next year.
Herald Sun