Married detective accused of affair with teenager, including sex in cop car

• Detective 'had sex with teen while on duty'
• Allegations laid out in papers for AVO
• Officer stripped from "detective duties"

The wedding of Leigh and Steve Buttel held at Peppers Creek in Pokolbin. Picture from The Sunday Telegraph
A MARRIED policeman has been disciplined and transferred following an affair with a teenage model, during which he allegedly had sex with her in the back of his unmarked police car.
The tryst, which began just months after his marriage to a fellow police officer who is now eight months pregnant, ended in acrimony after police stepped in and took out an Apprehended Violence Order to protect his young lover.
The teenager, who lives on a housing estate, told police she'd been in a "sexual relationship" with Detective Senior Constable Stephen Buttel for eight months and had allegedly seen him while he was on duty.
In a 17-page statement, she said Buttel, 32, refused to end their relationship despite telling her after several months that he was married and his pregnant wife worked at the same station.
The teen told police that when she refused to see him, he began to stalk and harass her while on duty by sitting outside her house in an unmarked police car.
Police media issued a statement to The Sunday Telegraph saying Buttel has not only been transferred, but has been stripped from "detective duties".
"The action follows alleged misuse of official vehicles and breaches of code of conduct between 25 July 2009 and 1 July, 2010," a spokesman said. "The disciplinary order involves a transfer and removes the officer from detective duties, resulting in a significant reduction in salary."
Details of Buttel's affair are contained in an interim AVO file, which was released to The Sunday Telegraph by a magistrate.
Police confirmed the teen's allegations after checking Buttel's phone records and sifting through text messages.
They sought an AVO due to a "strong" belief that she needed protection from the officer.
"Police have examined the phone message content and located a phone number belonging to Buttel, text messages attached appear to substanciate (sic) the allegation of contact and messages clearly show a need to have (the teenager) contact him," the AVO states.
The Sunday Telegraph spoke to the teenager and her father on Thursday and agreed, at their request, to suppress their identities for their safety.
The girl confirmed that virtually all her sexual encounters with Buttel occurred inside unmarked police vehicles.
She said the police radio was always on to hear if any officers were called to investigate their "suspicious activity".
"(The girl) states that she became aware that Buttel was married but he continued to pursue her by sending text messages and meeting her to drive her around to locations she needed to be at," the AVO document states.
"Buttel did this in police vehicles on duty."
A text message exchange obtained by police against their colleague was used in the AVO application to paint him as aggressive and controlling.
On May 6 last year, when she tried to end the relationship, Buttel allegedly wrote: "No, I decide."
Authorities obtained a six-month interim AVO against Buttel, which was finalised on April 28. The matter was withdrawn and dismissed after an agreement between the girl and Buttel that if he ceased to contact her, no further action would be taken.
On Thursday he was served with a "Region Commanders Warning Notice" and "Final Order" to cement the action against him.
He has 21 days to appeal.
Buttel's lawyer Patrick Conaghan said both he, and senior police, had advised his client not to comment for the purpose of this article.