A Victoria Police officer, Sam Hansen, 43, has been granted a diversion on a charge of accessing CCTV footage of his ex-girlfriend, Lisa Lewis. The court ordered Hansen to be of good behaviour for three months and make a $100 donation to the court fund. This outcome means he will not have a criminal conviction recorded.
Hansen was charged in April 2025 after Ms. Lewis filed a complaint alleging he used police surveillance systems to monitor her during their relationship. The couple met on Tinder in November 2024 and dated for five months. Ms. Lewis stated that she became suspicious after Hansen made comments about her attire and activities, including her shoes and driving.
She recounted an incident where Hansen called her as she was arriving at a gala dinner, commenting on her "nice white sneakers." He then allegedly told her to "Look up - CCTV. Wave! I'm watching you on the cameras." Ms. Lewis said this made her feel uneasy and question where else she was being watched.
According to Ms. Lewis, Hansen later showed her CCTV footage on his phone of her driving earlier that evening, confirming her suspicions. The relationship ended shortly thereafter. Ms. Lewis, who is a sex worker and disclosed her occupation to Hansen early in the relationship, expressed concern that her past, which has included public stunts and media attention, might affect her complaint. Her legal team is pursuing a civil action against Victoria Police, alleging a breach of duty of care and failure to supervise its officers. Court documents filed by her lawyers claim Hansen's surveillance was unauthorized, malicious, and intended to breach her privacy and cause distress.
Hansen was stood down from his regular duties during the investigation and subsequently charged with two counts of accessing and sharing police information. While he is reportedly still employed as a police officer, he has been removed from the surveillance department.