Footage of police assaults released

Queensland Police have today released the CCTV footage of former police officer Benjamin Thomas Price assaulting two people in his custody.

Acting Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the footage was released because there was a "clear and public interest in the release of the vision".

Price admitted bashing three people in custody and will spend nine months in jail after pleading guilty to four counts of assault while he was a senior constable at the Airlie Beach police station.

"As soon as this matter came to light the QPS acted swiftly to not only remove the then-officer from duty, but to fully investigate the assaults and lay criminal charges," Acting Commissioner Stewart said.

"Disciplinary matters are ongoing in relation to other officers stationed at the Whitsundays at the time of the assaults."

Five other officers have resigned following the investigation.

Townsville District Court judge Stuart Durward, handed down the sentence yesterday and described the bashings as "cowardly and contemptuous", noting that two of the victims, including a slightly built 20-year-old woman, had been in handcuffs.

"You deliberately abused your position as a police officer and deliberately inflicted pain and suffering," he said.

He said Price, who appeared emotionless throughout sentencing, had shown little remorse for his actions.