Constable Zachary Rolfe 'failed to declare' discipline issues, 'violent behaviour' fine, to police, inquest hears

Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe was excluded from applying for a job at Queensland Police for 10 years after failing to disclose a fine he received for "violent behaviour" on his application, the NT coroner has revealed. Key points: The NT coroner has rejected a second attempt by Constable Rolfe's barristers to strike out evidence Constable Rolfe objected to eight categories of evidence being examined by the coroner The coroner ruled some of the evidence may go to the "credibility" and "reliability" of Constable Rolfe and others In a judgement dismissing a series of objections raised by his lawyers, Coroner Elisabeth Armitage said evidence before her suggested "Constable Rolfe did not provide accurate information" in applying to the NT Police Force in 2016. Judge Armitage wrote Constable Rolfe "failed to declare" prior Australian Defence Force disciplinary matters, that he had applied to join other police forces, and that he had been fined in Queensland for "public nuisance – violent behaviour" on his application to the NT Police Force. Judge Armitage's ruling came after a series of objections were raised by Constable Rolfe's lawyers, who sought to exclude certain aspects of evidence, including issues around his "honesty" in applying for the police force, whether he was affected by drugs or alcohol on the night Kumanjayi Walker died, and whether his evidence at trial had been "contaminated". Judge Armitage ruled the messages, as well as evidence about Constable Rolfe's use-of-force history and whether his evidence at trial was "contaminated", were relevant to her inquiry.