Cameron Douglas Smith: WA policeman acquitted of assaulting his baby awarded huge sum but still stood down

A WA police officer who stood trial after being accused of assaulting his baby boy has been acquitted of the offence and awarded hefty court costs, but has not been cleared to return to work. Cameron Douglas Smith was immediately stood down from duty after he was charged with aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm on November 24, 2023. The 30-year-old metro area constable fought the charge at a Perth Magistrates Court trial earlier this year, represented by high-profile silk Tom Percy. It had been alleged that Mr Smith injured his son in August that year, in Nedlands, resulting in the infant needing medical treatment. The court was told the boy, who had been born premature, had difficulty bottle feeding and was being treated in hospital for oral ulcers when doctors saw a laceration on his lip. They called the child abuse squad months later after the infant’s twin sister presented with mouth bleeding. But Magistrate Donna Webb found Ms Smith not guilty in her reserved decision earlier this month, ruling the boy’s injury was an accident. And this week, Mr Smith was awarded $50,000 in legal costs, shy of the $66,000 he had been seeking to recoup from the State. On Friday, WA Police confirmed he had not returned to work. “The officer remains stood down while a managerial investigation is underway,” a spokeswoman told The West Australian. At trial, Mr Percy detailed the huge toll the case had taken on his client, who had missed the first two years of his childrens’ lives because they were removed from the family home. Mr Smith and his wife were monitored electronically, had their phones seized and his bail conditions included staying 20m away from high schools, primary schools and daycare centres.