NSW Game Council officer Andrew Mallen has been reinstated after police officially cleared him of any wrongdoing in an alleged illegal hunting incident.
“I was never in any doubt that it would be sorted out,” he said this afternoon, sounding buoyant despite the ordeal.
“I had tremendous support from the hunting and shooting community as well as my colleagues.”
Police confirmed that Mr Mallen, the Game Council’s firearms training and law enforcement officer, was in Sydney when the incident happened near Cobar, in western NSW.
Witnesses claimed Mr Mallen was at the scene of the incident, and as a result he was stood down on full pay while police investigated.
Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson ordered this afternoon that he be immediately reinstated “on the basis of a detailed statement to NSW Police by Mr Mallen that clearly proves he was in Sydney on the date of the alleged incident”.
Game Council chairman John Mumford called on the journalists who named Mallen to “unreservedly apologise to Andy”.
Mr Mallen confirmed he was concerned about the damage to his reputation after the media named him in connection with the incident.
“I will be taking action against the Sydney Morning Herald,” he said.
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