A NSW police officer whose wife was jailed for fabricating a rape claim against her ex-boyfriend has been summonsed to answer allegations he lied to court during her case.
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Senior Constable Scott White has been called to the ACT Magistrates Court on December 18 in relation to his alleged perjury as well as the unauthorised possession of a prohibited weapon.
It's understood the charges relate to allegations the officer lied in court about his and Sarah Jane Parkinson's relationship, while the weapon charge relates to his police issue pepper spray.
NSW Police confirmed the officer has been suspended on full pay. It said a departmental investigation had begun into his alleged conduct but was currently suspended, pending the outcome of the criminal charges.
It has been more than five years since Parkinson started making up the claims about her ex-partner, allegations that saw the innocent man locked up in Goulburn SuperMax prison for months.
Senior Constable White was stationed at Queanbeyan police station and Parkinson was a civilian employee of the NSW police at the time.
Parkinson's fake allegations were made in the context of her and her prison guard ex-partner's break-up and a property dispute over their Canberra home.
The woman's plan played out over months, and started with her reporting her ex-partner for fake domestic violence allegations.
It culminated in her staging a fake crime scene, self-inflicting injuries to her head, calling triple zero, and later concocting a fake story to police.
She set up the scene of the alleged rape crime by ripping a condom packet and bruising her own head before sending a distress text to her new partner Senior Constable White and calling triple police.
She was at first believed, and her ex-partner was arrested and charged over the allegations. Because of his job as a local prison guard, he spent months in Goulburn's notorious prison and much of it in isolation for his own protection.
Police investigators later uncovered evidence exculpatory of the man, including a lack of his DNA on the condom packet tossed into the fake crime scene.
Parkinson also alleged that her ex-partner's family had broken into her house and stolen her iPad.
The iPad was discovered at the family's home.
However, while Parkinson denied going to their home that day, the GPS on her car installed by police, said otherwise.
Eventually, Parkinson pleaded guilty to charges of public mischief and making a fake accusation.
She is now serving a three-year jail sentence, with a non-parole period of two years.
At her sentencing in January this year, her victim told the court it was astonishing how easily the justice system could be manipulated.
Prosecutors described her motivation as "plain old greed".
Magistrate Beth Campbell said: "The administration of justice in the territory has been significantly damaged by the offender's conduct."
ACT Policing confirmed a 37-year-old man would appear before the ACT Magistrates Court on December 18 charged with perjury and knowingly concerned possess/use prohibited weapon.
"As the matter is before the court, we are unable to comment further at this time," an ACT Policing spokesman said.
In response to questions about an internal investigation into Senior Constable White's alleged conduct, a NSW Police media spokesman said: "A departmental investigation was commenced but is currently suspended pending the outcome of criminal proceedings.
"As the matter is before the court, no further information is available."
The spokesman did not say when the departmental investigation had started.
