A jury has been unable to reach a verdict in the case of a police sergeant charged with indecently touching a female colleague during a training exercise.
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Jason Scott Renwick, 49, pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault over the incident at a Brisbane training facility on February 6, 2019.
But the Brisbane District Court jury was discharged on Thursday after the members were unable to reach a verdict having deliberated for about 13 hours.
Renwick was being retried after another jury was also unable to reach a verdict in a trial in August.
The exercise on a staircase involved one officer passing another in a cover position and tapping or squeezing them on the shoulder or thigh while saying "last man".
Renwick was accused of putting his hand on the underside of the female colleague's right buttock and squeezing it before saying "last man".
"He then continued to walk past her while laughing and said, 'Don't hit me'," crown prosecutor Brendan White earlier told the court.
But Renwick told court it was a "workplace accident" and he immediately apologised.
The police sergeant said he was looking ahead when he reached out to touch the woman and gave a nervous laugh afterwards because he was embarrassed.
The case is listed for mention in the same court on February 5.
Australian Associated Press
