Nicole Edwards pictured in the studio
A former police officer from Western Australia, Nicole Edwards, has initiated legal action against the Western Australia Police over allegations of mishandling her sexual assault claims. Edwards, who has publicly identified herself as a victim of one of the state’s most notorious rapists, Adrian Trevor Moore, is seeking damages following a horrific experience in 2017, during which she was drugged, filmed, and assaulted.
Moore, currently serving a 30-year prison term for nearly 90 sex crimes, has been described as one of the worst offenders in the state’s history. Edwards is one of his 13 victims and has bravely chosen to waive her anonymity while pursuing justice. In her writ filed with the Supreme Court of Western Australia, she alleges that the police force, particularly the Internal Affairs (IA) squad, failed to adequately respond to her claims of assault.
According to the legal documents, the IA squad is accused of minimizing her experience when she sought assistance. The writ states, “The IA squad engaged in conduct that amounted to misfeasance in public office.” Edwards contends that instead of receiving the support she needed, the officers involved treated her case with a lack of empathy and failed to recognize her vulnerability as both a sexual assault victim and a former police officer.
The writ further claims that officers reviewed explicit photographs and video footage depicting her assault while she was under the influence of drugs, yet did not take her allegations seriously. It emphasizes that the IA squad “did not take seriously, and sought to minimize, the plaintiff’s experience of being physically and sexually assaulted.”
Edwards is pursuing damages for what she describes as intentional acts intended to cause harm, alongside claims of misfeasance in public office. In light of the ongoing legal proceedings, the Western Australia Police declined to comment on the matter.
A management hearing for this case is scheduled for Friday at the Supreme Court. The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for how police forces handle sexual assault allegations and the support provided to victims seeking justice.
