Australian Federal Police officer charged with perjury, concealing evidence and perverting the course of justice

An AFP officer is facing charges of perjury, perverting the course of justice and concealing evidence relating to matters which took place between 2019 and 2020.

ACT Policing Detective Leading Senior Constable Trent Madders has been charged with one count of aggravated perjury, one of concealing evidence and one of perverting the course of justice.

Prosecutors allege the offences occurred between June 2019 and August 2020. 

They have also laid one charge over making a false statement in a legal proceeding in August 2020.

A final charge relates to allegedly concealing evidence with the intention of influencing the outcome of a legal proceeding between June 2019 and August 2020.

Senior Constable Madders later worked on the case against Bruce Lehrmann and was one of five officers who lodged a defamation case against the ACT's former Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold, which they ultimately dropped. 

The case was listed for a mention in the ACT Magistrates Court today.

Senior Constable Madders did not appear in court but his lawyer, Tim Sharman, asked that the matter be adjourned for three weeks.

Registrar Helen Banks granted the adjournment.

The case will return to court on August 1 for a another mention in the registrar's list. 

No pleas have been entered. 

AFP 'committed to transparency'

A release from the Australian Federal Police this morning stated they were committed to transparency. 

It said the employee had been charged by AFP Professional Standards and suspended from duty. 

"No further comment will be made," the statement read.