Sergeant David Berry. Ms Mitchell, now 34, said the two-year ordeal had been "horrific, absolutely horrific". She believes all allegations against officers should be handled independently of Victoria Police. "Police shouldn't be investigating police at all," the mother of two said through tears. "I think this definitely is a cause for concern regarding police investigating police. I think this is a primary example of that system not working.

"There really needs substantial changes to how police are investigated." Over the duration of a lengthy court case, Sergeant Berry admitted he punched Ms Mitchell and broke her nose, but said he did so out of fear for his own safety. The punch occurred in a Newington street after Ms Mitchell claimed she went to Sergeant Berry's house for help because she had had an argument with her partner, who forced her out, and her children were at his house. She said that she had approached her neighbours for help, and had been scared by Sergeant Berry's tone of voice when she knocked on his door. Sergeant Berry, who was off-duty at the time, said he had approached the victim after he saw someone outside his house late at night, chasing her down the street.

"He was concerned at what was happening at his home," Mr Jones said. Sergeant Berry said Ms Mitchell had stopped when he caught up with her and had her arms crossed, responding "whatever Dave" when he asked what was going on. He said she raised her arms quickly and he had punched her in the face, as per his training. He said in his testimony she had "lunged" towards him, and denied that he acted out of malice or anger. Mr Jones said he had issues with the credibility of the victim's evidence, while Sergeant Berry "had no axe to grind", and they had a "friendly neighbourhood relationship" prior to the incident.

He took issue with the Ms Mitchell's version of the incident, where she said she was hit from behind. Mr Jones said she had a "serious drinking problem" and a "pathological hatred of police stationed in Ballarat". Ms Mitchell, who briefly worked as a Queensland police officer and is now studying law, rejected that and said those claims were the result of a character asssasination against her. She says the emotional toll of the drawn out process has been worse than the blackened eye and broken nose she suffered that night two years ago. "It's been a long road." A Victoria Police spokeswoman said "the existing oversight model is the most appropriate and effective".

"We cannot outsource our integrity," she said. "We believe our current model not only strikes the right balance between police retaining accountability and responsibility for addressing poor performance and misconduct, it also facilitates effective oversight and scrutiny through an independent body." She said Victoria Police would continue to work with the government and the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission. with The Courier