Police officer in court on domestic violence charges

Constable Lomitusi Lomi, 24, appeared in Waitakere District Court on Tuesday charged with injuring with intent to injure. Photo / File

An Auckland police officer has been stood down after being accused of domestic violence.

Constable Lomitusi Lomi, 24, appeared in Waitakere District Court on Tuesday charged with injuring with intent to injure, which carries a maximum of five years' imprisonment.

According to court documents, the alleged incident took place on Sunday and the victim is understood to be the defendant's partner.

Inspector Jacqui Whittaker said the officer was stood down from duties on Monday and was the subject of an internal police investigation, which would be concluded once criminal proceedings were completed.

Lomi is not the only police officer in trouble with the law at the moment.

A South Auckland police officer is also before the courts facing serious violence allegations.

The 35-year-old man was arrested in October and charged with five counts of assault against a teenager, two of which allege he beat her with his police-issue belt.

He has denied the charges and will be back in court this month.

Three of the charges allege that between 2007 and 2013 the South Auckland resident "whacked the victim on the back on numerous occasions", used a leather belt to hit the girl in the stomach, and hit her on the back and legs with a piece of wood.

The remaining two charges relate to incidents between 2012 and 2013, when he is accused of using the police belt as a weapon.

Counties Manukau police confirmed the officer had been placed on restricted duties after the charges were laid.

Also before Manukau District Court is 30-year-old Hamish McCormack, who faces a charge of careless driving after an incident in Takanini on September 1.

Police confirmed the constable had been charged after a "fleeing driver incident in which two police cars were damaged". Police would not comment on whether McCormack had been allowed behind the wheel since the charges were laid or whether he had been stood down from duty.

He will be back in court next month.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum $3000 fine and the court may order him to be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for as long as it sees fit.