Matthew Kevin Lea-Smith is a serving police officer who is at the centre of at least 17 domestic violence allegations and the suspicious death of his partner.
He refused to give evidence at the inquest into Holly Anne Davidson’s death. The NT Police continues to employ him.
Holly passed away on March 5, 2020 in Royal Darwin Hospital after suffering a traumatic brain injury.
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READ HOLLY’S STORY
Lea-Smith was charged with fail to rescue, but that was dropped. The inquest into Holly’s death found she died as a result of a blow to her head, caused by someone else or by a fall.
As with every investigation into the domestic violence Holly endured, police failed to properly investigate her death. They didn’t even set up a crime scene.
Holly recorded the abuse she suffered on voice messages and by writing it down.
Her mum Peta Davidson witnessed some of the abuse – including Lea-Smith punching Holly.
I’ve been told of two other police officers in the Northern Territory who faced domestic violence allegations but who still have their jobs. This is reflected across Australia.
We do not have accurate data on levels of perpetration, but it is understood DV involving police is significantly higher than in the rest of the community.
Peta is now lobbying for the Federal Government to roll-out Holly’s Law – it would see an independent national taskforce charged with investigating domestic violence allegations within Australian police forces. She is also pushing for a federal inquiry to examine how widespread domestic violence is among Australian police.
Please sign the petition and listen to the She Matters podcast for more of Holly’s story.
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