NSW police officer who allegedly assaulted former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas charged with grievous bodily harm | New South Wales

A New South Wales police officer will now face a second charge over an alleged assault on Hannah Thomas, who suffered serious eye injuries after being arrested during a protest in June.

The 33-year-old senior constable charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm last month was also charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm on Wednesday, NSW police said.

The new charge carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison, and the maximum penalty for the assault charge is five years in prison.

Thomas was arrested and charged along with four others during a pro-Palestinian protest attended by about 60 people at SEC Plating in Sydney on June 27. Thomas, a former Greens candidate in Grayndler’s prime ministerial seat, was taken to hospital and underwent two rounds of surgery on his right eye. It will be its third at the end of this month.

Last month, prosecutors dropped all three charges against Thomas, who was later awarded more than $22,000 in restitution. Charges against three other protesters, whose expenses were also paid, were also dropped.

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A statement from NSW police announcing the additional charge on Wednesday said: “As police attempted to engage some protesters, a 35-year-old woman suffered facial injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.”

Police are conducting a critical incident investigation into Thomas’ arrest, which was triggered after a person was injured or died during a police operation. The investigation is being overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, an independent police watchdog.

The officer, whose employment is under review, is expected to appear in Bankstown local court on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

Separately, Thomas’ legal team is suing the state of NSW over the incident.

O’Brien Criminal and Civil Lawyers announced earlier this month that their clients would seek damages for malicious prosecution, assault and battery by police officers, and misconduct in public office.

Thomas’s lawyer, Peter O’Brien, said at the time: “We are seeking compensation not only for Ms Thomas’ individual suffering, including the ongoing injury to her right eye, but also in defense of the broader principle that police powers should never be abused.”

The June protest took place at SEC Plating, which protesters say produces parts used in the F-35 jet program. SEC Plating denied this.

One of the charges, which police said they would drop before dropping all charges, was based on rarely used emergency powers following the 2005 Cronulla riots.

NSW police announced in July that they had withdrawn that charge following a review of the appropriateness of the charges against him and that he would instead face a charge of resisting police, as well as an additional charge of refusing or failing to comply with an instruction.

The prosecutor’s office, not the police, dropped all charges against Thomas last month.