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An employee has failed to prove that repeatedly asking a colleague out for coffee wasn't s-xual harassment, with a commission finding his employer was entitled to remove him from his role.

In January 2020, NSW Police substantiated misconduct allegations against the Orange Police Station senior constable, specifically that in August 2019 he:

• asked a colleague to "go out" or "have a coffee" with him, and when she said no, continued to make similar invitations;
• asked if he could text message her and when she said no, said she could message him "anytime"; and
• in reference to an abandoned mattress at the police station, said to her, "I should trip you over so you fall onto this mattress".

But the employee denied harassing the colleague. He also noted there was "strong evidence" to suggest he had undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder, which made him "socially awkward" and went "some way" to explaining differences in his communication style...