Retired detective says she was in a bad way after alleged police cell assault

Leading Senior Constable Nicole Munro, 48, and Senior Constable Steven Repac, 29, are accused of assaulting the retired police officer in January 2015.

Yvonne Berry was arrested outide a Brown Hill property for being drunk in a public place and held in a Ballarat police cell on January 15 when the alleged assaults occurred.

Repac faces five counts of assault, while Munro has been charged with one count of assault.

The prosecution allege Munro kicked Ms Berry as she lay on the ground handcuffed in the police cell.

Barrister Anne Hassan, for Munro, told the jury in opening addresses at the County Court at Ballarat on Thursday her client did everthing she could properly and lawfully.

She said the alleged kick would be in some dispute.

"Everthing she did was in the lawful execution of her duties," Ms Hassan said.

"The real area in dispute is lawful justification."

The jury was told Ms Berry was lying on the ground handcuffed when Repac allegedly stomped on her left and right ankles, kicked her left shin and stomped on her lower leg.

Geoffrey Steward, for Repac, said his client and Munro were on divisional duties when they received a frantic call from their colleague to attend the Ballarat Police Station in relation to a violent, erratic and abusive individual.

He said the pair arrived to find capsicum spray in a lot of places.

"The issue in this case is whether the Crown can satisfy beyond reasonable doubt that the force applied was without justification," Mr Steward said.

"The force (Repac) applied is crucial."

Ms Berry, a retired detective senior constable who had been with Victoria Police for 30 years, told the jury she was intoxicated on the night she was arrested.

She said she was freezing cold while in the police cell and requested a blanket before a police officer opened the door and said, "Get back", to which Ms Berry replied, "No you get back".

Ms Berry said there was a push and shove before she was sprayed in the face with capsicum spray.

"I think I called (the police officer) a few names. I was confused and walked into the compactus room," Ms Berry said.

She said two other police officers slammed her down on the ground while walking her back to the cell.

Ms Berry said she remembered being put in a divisional van where she was taken to the Ballarat Base Hospital.

She begged a doctor examining her in the van to, "Please, please don't let them take me. I think they are going to do something to me, Ms Berry said.

The jury was told Ms Berry was transported back to the police station and placed in a hot shower.

She said after she was released from custody at 4pm on January 15, she was in a bad way.

"When I left I said, 'if this is the way you treat a police member, I would hate to see how you treat a member of the public'."

Ms Berry said her injuries included bruising, swelling and grazing.

"I had bruises everywhere, including my breast," she said.

The jury was played the two-hour CCTV footage from the Ballarat Police Station on the night of the incident.

Repac has pleaded not guilty to five counts of assault, while Munro has pleaded not guilty to one count of assault.

The trial will continue on Friday before Judge Paul Lacava.