A POLICEMAN who rammed a fire hose down a handcuffed man's throat during a brutal bashing in a police station has been jailed.

Former Senior Constable Benjamin Price, 34, was today sentenced to 27 months prison by Townsville District Court judge Stuart Durward but will be eligible for parole next July.

Price was sentenced after pleading guilty to four counts of assault against three victims in Airlie Beach, in north Queensland in 2007 and 2008.

In sentencing Mr Durward described Price as a "thug" and his actions as "cowardly and contemptible".

"Your conduct was gratuitously violent," he told Price, who looked pale when the sentence was announced.

Price's teenage daughter wept when he was led away.

One of Price's victims, Timothy Steele said he was stunned the case ever saw the light of day.

He said as an ex-policeman Price "will do it hard in jail, and that's good."

Price's actions only came to light when Price was reported by female police whistleblower constable Bree Sonter and forced to resign amid an internal affairs investigation.



In CCTV footage shown in court last week, Price can be seen punching and kneeing a bleeding, handcuffed Timothy Steele, 23 at the time, in May 25, 2008.

Price puts him in a brutal spine lock and leaves the commercial diver with a broken nose and two blackened eyes, cuts and bruising to the face.

Other police officers watch on - but none intervene - as Price stuffs a running fire hose into his victim's mouth, nearly drowning him in a five minute ordeal, before Mr Steele slumps forward unmoving.

In another incident captured on camera, petite barmaid Renee Toms, 21 at the time, also handcuffed, was hit in the neck, flung about by the hair, and slammed to the floor inside the watchhouse by Price on January 2008.

Two female officers watch on, but again, do not stop the assault.

His third victim, investment banker Nicholas Le Fevre, of Sydney, was king-hit and repeatedly punched in the head by Price after arguing over urinating in a park while on holiday in Airlie Beach.