EXCLUSIVE: Confronting video shows cop bashing an Aboriginal man on the steps of one of Australia’s busiest police stations… and how the police then presented a VERY different story to what the CCTV footage shows

• Indigenous man was arrested at Kings Cross police station
• A cop punched the Aboriginal man in the face and appeared to kick him 
• CCTV captured his arrest from start to finish 

Disturbing video shows a police officer repeatedly punching and kicking an Aboriginal man who had allegedly mouthed off at him – before going on to charge him with resisting arrest and assaulting police.

Proughton McRae, 50, had just been released from Sydney’s Kings Cross police station when he allegedly verbally abused three constables in the car park.

Footage obtained by Daily Mail Australia shows the Indigenous man then getting punched in the chin by Senior Constable Dean Leo, being forced to the ground, kicked and repeatedly punched in the face. 

After his arrest, the NSW Police Force claimed in court that it was Mr McRae who had started the physical confrontation by first pushing Senior Constable Leo. 

However, that account differs dramatically to what video of the incident shows.

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Disturbing video can be revealed of a cop repeatedly punching and kicking an Aboriginal man who was then charged with assaulting police and resisting arrest. The video shows Senior Constable Dean Leo punching 50-year-old Proughton McRae on the chin (above)

In the video, Mr McRae is dragged to the ground and Senior Constable Leo appears to put the boot in (above) but there is no mention in a statement of facts tendered in court of the policeman kicking him

A statement of alleged facts, written by police and tendered in court, claimed the 50-year-old and Senior Constable Leo ‘became involved in a push and shove’.

The statement of alleged facts said: ‘The accused pushed Senior Constable Dean Leo to the chest area’.

However, the video appears to show it was the 39-year-old policeman who first made physical contact with the man. 

CCTV video shows Senior Constable Leo put his gloved left hand on the man’s neck area before Mr McRae pushes back. The policeman then punches Mr McRae on the chin.

The man is pulled to the ground and Senior Constable Leo appears to kick him in the body. 

Senior Constable Leo and two other officers spend three minutes restraining the man.

The police statement of alleged facts admitted Senior Constable Leo repeatedly punched him in the face and struck him in the ribs with his extendable baton 

The Indigenous man was subsequently charged with three counts of assaulting police, three of resisting arrest, and one each of assaulting police causing actual bodily harm and behaving in an offensive manner.  

After the video was produced in court, all eight charges against Mr McRae were withdrawn and dismissed. His arrest occurred on October 16, 2019. 

A complaint was lodged about Senior Constable Dean Leo’s conduct but was not sustained after an internal investigation and no action was taken against him. 

The officer, who has since left the police force, did not want to discuss the arrest when approached as he walked barefooted from a shopping centre on Friday.

‘What’s it got to do with you?’ he said when asked about the video. ‘Get away from me.’

According to a statement of facts, Senior Constable Dean Leo was forced to use ‘discretionary’ and ‘distractionary’ punches to Mr McRae’s head and ‘defensive’ baton strikes to his ribs. He has since left the police force and is pictured outside a supermarket on Friday 

That day, the Indigenous man returned to Kings Cross station shortly after being released from the cells for an undisclosed matter. 

The police statement of alleged facts described Mr McRae as having an extensive history of assaulting cops, resisting arrest and spitting at police.

‘The accused has numerous warnings for this behaviour as the accused has extreme hatred and dislike for police of an extensive history of police interactions,’ the court document stated.

According police, Mr McRae immediately became aggressive in the station, calling officers ‘white dog c**ts’ and accusing them of not returning his property.

About three minutes after McRae attended the station, the video shows Senior Constable Leo and his two colleagues follow him down the steps onto the street.

Police alleged Mr McRae walked towards the three officers ‘in a threatening manner’, yelling ‘You’ll have to fight me’. 

About three minutes after McRae enters the station, the video shows Senior Constable Leo (far left) and two other officers follow him back down the steps. Once outside the station Mr McRae allegedly began waving his arms and ‘becoming more aggressive and offensive’

The three officers are seen manhandling the Indigenous man

According to the police statement of alleged facts, after the ‘push and shove’ Senior Constable Leo became fearful of being assaulted by Mr McRae.

‘The accused appeared to be gathering saliva in his mouth,’ the statement said. ‘In an attempt to prevent the spitting, Senior Constable Dean Leo performed a discretionary defensive tactic and punched the accused to the chin.’

The video shows Mr McRae being dragged to the ground and Senior Constable Leo appearing to put the boot in but there is no mention in the statement of facts of the policeman kicking him. 

According to the statement of facts, Mr McRae grabbed Senior Constable Leo’s throat area and the officer punched him again in the face ‘to prevent any neck inquiries or choking’.

Police alleged Mr McRae tried to punch Senior Constable Leo, scratched his neck and chest and threatened to kill police. 

‘Senior Constable Dean Leo fearing for his safety escalated the use of force by using a closed fist to punch as a distractionary tactic,’ the statement of facts said.  

‘Those punches connected with the accused’s face numerous times.’

According to the statement of facts, Mr McRae grabbed Senior Constable Leo’s throat area and the officer punched him in the face ‘to prevent any neck inquiries or choking’

 The video shows Mr McRae being lifted into a kneeling position and held with Senior Constable Leo’s knee in his back and his head pushed forward before he is pulled to his feet

Police alleged Mr McRae bit Senior Constable Leo on the hand as he tried to turn his head away to prevent him from spitting.  

‘Police used numerous close-fisted strikes and knee strikes to gain control of the accused to stop the violence,’ the police document said.

Senior Constable Leo then used his extendable baton to strike Mr McRae in the ribs, while he held onto the officer’s shirt.

‘These tactics appeared to have some affect as the accused’s grip was released,’ the statement of facts said.

According to police, Mr McRae then attempted to grab Senior Constable Leo’s pistol.

After Senior Constable Leo ‘escalated use of force,’ the officers finally performed a wrist lock on Mr McRae and placed him in handcuffs.

The video shows Mr McRae being lifted into a kneeling position and held for a another minute with Senior Constable Leo’s knee in his back and his head pushed forward before he is pulled to his feet. 

The incident was witnessed by members of the public. 

A NSW Police Force spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that Mr McRae had been charged ‘after he was allegedly involved in a confrontation outside Kings Cross police station’. 

‘Following a review of evidence, those charges were withdrawn in November 2019,’ the spokesman said.

‘A subsequent internal investigation was conducted following a complaint against an officer attached to Kings Cross PAC. 

‘That complaint was not sustained and no further action was taken.’ 

Senior Constable Leo is no longer with the police force. 

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