Police officer accused of mishandling complaint against rapist before alleged attack
A police officer is expected to face court accused of mishandling a complaint about a convicted rapist weeks before the criminal allegedly offended against a child.
Anthony Peter Sampieri, 55, allegedly raped, choked and filmed a seven-year-old girl he held captive in a Kogarah dance studio bathroom in November.
Two adults burst in and Sampieri allegedly stabbed one before being subdued, arrested and hauled before the courts on child rape and assault charges.
NSW Police said an internal investigation revealed a woman filed a complaint about an offensive call from Sampieri at St George police station on October 26.
It was allegedly one of dozens of offensive or menacing phone calls Sampieri had made in the lead up to the attack at Kogarah, according to court documents seen by AAP last year.
At the time Sampieri was on parole after being jailed for raping a 60-year-old woman at knifepoint in his Illawarra home in 2012.
Police suspended the leading senior constable with pay following the internal investigation.
But they went one step further on Wednesday to charge the 31-year-old with four counts of neglecting duty.
His lawyer was served with a court attendance notice and the officer is expected before Downing Centre Local Court on June 6.
Sampieri remains behind bars, bail refused, with his next court date scheduled for May 30.
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