ONE of Queensland’s most notorious police brutality cases may yet claim another police scalp, with the state’s crime and corruption watchdog given the right to continue probing whether a senior cop whitewashed an investigation into the police bashing of a 21-year-old woman.

Supreme Court Justice Martin Daubney today threw out an application to quash the investigation.

In documents filed in court, the head of Queensland’s crime and corruption watchdog warned the Police Commissioner that the force may have gone too soft on the veteran cop under investigation for covering up a bashing by a junior officer dubbed one of the state’s most brutal.

Senior Sergeant Anthony William Lee’s alleged “deliberate cover-up” of violent cop Senior Constable Benjamin Price allowed Price to keep his badge and continue his reign of terror where he brutally assaulted a third tourist victim — forcing a fire hose into his mouth, punching and kicking him.

Senior police have questioned whether Price’s third assault of a tourist could have been avoided if Sen-Sgt Lee — a 25-year veteran — had done his job.

According to the court documents, Crime and Corruption Commission acting chairman Ken Levy wrote to Police Commissioner Ian Stewart on January 13 to warn him he believed the police ethical standards command’s decision to give Snr Sgt Lee a slap on the wrist was inadequate and “concerning”.

In December last year Sgt Lee was given 60 hours of community service and a “professionalism” course as part of so-called “managerial action”, which is softer than disciplinary action.

Mr Levy alleged Sgt Lee may have been involved in “deliberately covering up” criminal conduct by Price in January 2008.

Price was jailed for two years in 2010 for bashing three tourists in 2007 and 2008 while on duty in Airlie Beach. Two of the bashings occurred in the police watchhouse.

Sergeant Lee, who worked as an Officer in Charge of the Mackay Child Protection Unit, ran an internal police investigation into Price’s alleged brutality against 21 year old barmaid, Renee Toms, recommending Price be exonerated.

Lee’s investigation of Price was found to be flawed because he didn’t formally interview Price, Toms or police witnesses or even watch CCTV footage of the attack on Toms, the court documents state.

Price slammed Toms into a desk and the floor while she was handcuffed. She hit her head cut her chin.

A police service internal investigation found Lee falsely told his bosses he had watched the CCTV of the attack and it “corroborated” Price’s version.

The CCC investigation is probing whether Lee’s investigation was a “deliberate cover up” because the CCTV clearly shows an attack and Price was later convicted of assault.

Mr Levy told Mr Stewart in the January letter that the CCC is investigating “to consider” charging Sgt Lee with “misconduct in relation to public office” and “attempting to pervert the course of justice”.

Mr Levy warned he may also consider launching “disciplinary action” against Lee in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

The CCC has fought with the police service over Lee before.

According to the court documents, in June 2013 the police service let Lee keep his rank and pay-level provided he behaved, in a “suspended demotion”.

The then-CMC argued it was too soft and took the police service to Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal arguing Lee should be demoted — by two ranks — to senior constable.

In November last year QCAT told the police service to have another try at disciplining Lee, ruling the secretive police service disciplinary hearing didn’t hear full details of Sgt Lee’s “serious” misconduct.

On 16 December 2014, Assistant Commissioner Clem O’Regan, the head of the police service Ethical Standards Command, told the CCC Lee would be punished with 60 hours of community service and a “professionalism” course.

Details of the stoush were revealed when Sgt Lee went to the Supreme Court on March 3, in a bid to block the CCC from investigating him for an alleged “cover up” of Price’s bashing.

Price’s first victim was Sydney banker Nicholas Le Fevre in September 2007. Le Fevre was king-hit and repeatedly punched in the head by Price after arguing with him.

In January 2008, Barmaid Renee Toms was handcuffed, was flung about by the hair by Price before being slammed into a desk and the floor.

The final victim was Timothy Steele, a plasterer from Sydney who was punched and kneed and hosed.