Former North Melbourne AFL coach Dani Laidley has launched more legal action against Victoria Police, claiming someone in the force was behind candid photographs which she says painted her as a "ridiculous spectacle" for identifying as a woman.
Ms Laidley, 55, is suing the force in the Supreme Court of Victoria over the images, which she claims were taken by a police officer, or someone close to them, at the Geelong Racecourse in November 2021.
The allegations have been "vehemently" denied by Victoria Police.
"This matter was extensively investigated at the time and no evidence was found to suggest any Victoria Police members, either on or off duty, were involved," a spokeswoman said.
"Despite the best efforts of investigators we were unable to substantiate any claims that a police member was involved."
But Ms Laidley claims the images were sent to other police officers and eventually made their way to social media and the press.
Ms Laidley claims the incident humiliated her and suggested she was a "ridiculous spectacle".
"The photograph and the words communicated by police officers … were understood to mean that the plaintiff, by reason of dressing as and/or identifying as a woman, was deserving of disparagement and ridicule," her lawyers, Robinson Gill, said in court documents.
"The plaintiff has been injured in her feelings, credit and reputation, has been brought into public ridicule and contempt and has suffered and continues to suffer injury loss and damage."
Ms Laidley says Victoria Police owes her a duty of care for her "physical and psychological" safety.
But the court documents also reveal that while she blames the force, Ms Laidley does not know who was behind the photos.
"The first photograph was of and concerning the plaintiff and was sent and published by police officers whose identities are presently unknown to the plaintiff," her lawyers said.
This is the second lawsuit Ms Laidley has filed against the force.
In May this year, she reached a confidential financial settlement with Victoria Police after vulnerable photos of her in custody were allegedly leaked by officers.
The images were later splashed across the tabloid press.
In the first photo, Ms Laidley was pictured wearing makeup, while the second shows her wearing a long blonde wig with a Victoria Police officer in the foreground.
She claimed that while she was in custody, she was under the care of Victoria Police and that the force breached its duty of care to her.
One of the police officers who was criminally charged over the incident has since been acquitted on all charges.
Ms Laidley declined to comment.
