THE name Stephen Milne meant little to the Brighton detective who got the call.

But it didn't take long for Scott Gladman to realise he'd been handed the most controversial case of his career in

March 2004.

Fears the investigation into claims that Milne, a dynamic St Kilda forward, had raped a woman – and that promising young teammate Leigh Montagna was present - would turn into a media circus were well-founded.

They were confirmed just 15 minutes after they left Brighton CIU, when Mr Gladman and colleague Mike Smith

arrived at Moorabbin's sexual offences unit to learn media had already been tipped off.

The alleged victim had first spoken to officers at Moorabbin, who had called in Mr Gladman and Mr Smith. The

players - who both maintain their innocence - had not even been questioned yet.

Neither remains in the force.

Years later they broke their silence on the investigation, telling Nine News the case was under attack from within Victoria Police from the moment the 19-year-old student made her complaint.

The Saints' motto of forti us quo fidelius - strength through loyalty - could just as easily apply to the police force.

But the Milne/Montagna rape investigation left both detectives questioning which badge some members were more devoted to - that of their employer, or their footy club.

Mr Gladman says immediate leaks of information from inside police ranks were just a taste of things to come.

After a marathon day of interviews early in the case, Mr Gladman said he shook hands with others in his office

with a vow that the job would be done properly.

''This was going to be a defining moment not only for us personally but especially for our office,'' he said.

''This was going to be the moment where people would look at our office and say Brighton CIU can be trusted because those blokes can shut up and not say a word.''

But he says those hopes had already been dashed by the time he arrived back at work the next day.

Tapes of the interviews with Milne and Montagna were missing from his desk. Six or more hours later, when he

returned from lunch, they were back.

On the photocopier Mr Gladman says he found a page of transcript from one player interview that somebody had

accidentally left behind while surreptitiously copying it.

And another member approached him who was ''adamant'' that the alleged victim's statement had been shown to

people at St Kilda, a claim then-president Rod Butterss denies.

And then there were the daily calls from random police who had no legitimate part to play in the investigation.

''I was left in no doubt in one particular phone call ... was of the effect of you're a long time in this job and people

have long memories so make sure you do the right thing,'' Mr Gladman said.

One higher-ranked officer called repeatedly.

Colleagues stopped him in the street or while he was having a beer, telling him to make the problem go away and

he'd be "looked after".

Others would call up asking where the alleged victim lived, and probing for a name.

''The things we had to put up with on a daily basis were ridiculous,'' he said.

Mr Gladman says he resorted to inventing victim names when other police called - and within hours the fictitious

identities would be circulating.

He rode to work but would cart heavy case files home each night because he did not believe they were secure.

But he says they tried to focus on the job and ignore the rest.

The charge sheets were drawn up and ready to go before a second planned interview with Milne towards the end of the two-month investigation.

He says he was told by superiors ''unless something extraordinary happens today, you charge him''.

But that advice changed "on a moment to moment basis". "It depended on who was offering the greatest

argument and the loudest,'' he said.

Mr Smith says they were warned that no AFL player had ever been prosecuted for rape and it was ''never going to

happen''.

The Director of Public Prosecutions ultimately left the call whether to charge anyone up to police.

Even so, when the decision was made by their superiors not to lay charges, it hit both men hard.

"Scott and I did a professional job. We did everything by the book," Mr Smith said. "We thought all the bases

were covered, we couldn't do a better brief of evidence if we tried.''

Mr Smith says one reason they were given was that it would cost too much if they lost.

The police strategy was to announce the decision publicly the next day, after first telling the players and the

woman. It had to be scrapped when it was leaked almost immediately.

Reporters started calling and the two detectives said they went against orders to tell the alleged victim straight

away, rather than have her find out on The Footy Show that night.

Mr Gladman says every second of the journey to her house to break the news is as vivid in his memory as the births of his children.

"I've been present for some awful moments in people's lives, but nothing was harder than having to tell her that

the brief had been put to bed.''

Both men say natural justice was denied - not just to the alleged victim but to Milne and Montagna, who did not get

the chance to clear their names in court.

Mr Gladman says the case left him convinced that some officers valued loyalty to a sporting club ahead of their

responsibilities as law enforcers.

''There was certainly an element within Victoria Police that believed that they could call me up and demand the

investigation go a way that was a more positive outcome for the club,'' he said.

Smith agrees.

"Anything they could do to help the club, they would do," he says.

"My idea was I already belonged to one club ... the police force."

The decision by the two officers to come forward forced an Office of Police Integrity probe in 2010.

Their report, published last year, recommended a review of the evidence.

Today Victoria Police released this statement:

“Victoria Police can confirm that it has today charged a 33 year-old man from Cheltenham with four counts of rape following an alleged incident in 2004.

“The decision to charge follows an extensive review of the initial investigation by specialist detectives within our Sexual Crimes Squad.

“That review was prompted by an OPI recommendation last year that the brief of evidence be reviewed to ensure all relevant evidence had been properly recorded and retained.

“As we have previously made clear, it is a matter of regret that this review found the initial investigation to have been substantially inadequate.

“As a result, further inquiries have been conducted by the Sexual Crimes Squad and after consulting with the Office of Public Prosecutions, the decision has been made to lay charges.”