NSW police argument that unlawful strip-search was necessary is ‘outrageous’, class action lawyer says

<p>Judge appears baffled that police force, which admits search of Raya Meredith was unlawful and unjustified, nevertheless claims it was ‘objectively necessary’</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/may/14/australia-news-live-anthony-albanese-jakarta-subianto-liberal-coalition-sussan-ley-energy-trade-tariffs-russia-defence-ntwnfb">Australia news live: latest politics updates</a></li><li>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></li></ul><p>New South Wales police made an “outrageous” argument that it was “objectively necessary” to search a woman’s genital area <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/05/nsw-police-told-woman-to-remove-tampon-in-strip-search-court-hears-ntwnfb">during a strip-search at a music festival</a>, despite admitting the search was unlawful, a court has heard.</p><p>The police force admitted in court documents that its July 2018 strip-search of Raya Meredith at Splendour in the Grass – which discovered nothing illegal – was unlawful and unjustified.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=copyembed">Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email</a></strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/14/nsw-police-argument-that-unlawful-strip-search-was-necessary-is-outrageous-class-action-told-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>