Police officer accused of stalking ‘didn’t take hint’
A senior police officer accused of stalking a junior colleague during a work buddy was so persistent the alleged victim felt as if he were in a relationship, a court has heard.
West Australian deputy commissioner Gailene Sharron Hamilton, 49, pleaded not guilty to charges of intimidating another person and four counts of unlawful use of a computer in 2024 and 2025.
Hamilton, who left the police force in 2025, was a low-level commissioner at the time of some of the alleged crimes.
The complainant, a lower-ranking female officer who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said the pair met at work in 2023 and were initially friends.
However, the friendship soured as Hamilton repeatedly sent messages, called and visited his home.
“I wasn’t comfortable with the frequency and I didn’t want Gailene to stay that often,” the woman told Perth Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The officer said he tried to gently hint to Hamilton that he did not want to be close friends, but also that he was afraid of possible repercussions for his career due to the imbalance of power between them.
“It was a friendship that I was uncomfortable with and I couldn’t say it,” he said.
“I didn’t want to upset him. I didn’t know how to handle it.”
The two had argued during one of Hamilton’s visits, after text messages were frequently sent to check on his friend’s well-being.
“I remember saying I felt like I was in a relationship,” the officer said.
“I also remember saying, ‘I’m 52 and I don’t need you to worry about me.’
“He started crying.”
Hamilton’s text messages continued for months and the woman eventually tried to end the friendship.
“I couldn’t believe how constant they were,” he said.
“I sent a message saying, ‘Please stop contacting me.’
“I didn’t have the energy. I just didn’t want to get involved in a text war or have to explain.”
Hamilton’s alleged attempts to contact the woman continued.
Prosecutor James Bennett, who opened the case against Hamilton, said it was “essentially a friendship gone wrong”.
“The defendant didn’t get the hint,” he said, detailing the case against him.
He said Hamilton’s alleged actions caused his victim fear, anxiety, anxiety and stress.
He is also accused of using a police app to locate the alleged victim on four occasions.
The software can only be legally used for business purposes, but Hamilton allegedly used it to control the woman during her stay at his home and while she was travelling.
The five-day hearing will continue on Tuesday.
