OPP officer’s assault trial continues

By Jack Carver

BELLEVILLE – The trial of a Central Hastings OPP officer charged with aggravated assault continued today with a cross-examination of the alleged victim.

The officer has been charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and four counts of mischief under $5,000 and three counts of assault as a result of incidents alleged to have happened between 2007 and 2012.

The alleged victim, who was previously in a relationship with the accused officer, testified about the fight that the charges stemmed from.

She went on to detail a history of verbal and physical abuse by the officer. He yelled at her until her ears popped, ripped up family photos, threw food and objects at her, and struck her with a garden shovel, she said.

In one incident, she testified, he threw milkshakes at her while they were driving after she made a comment about the amount of money on his pay stub. After they arrived at their home he took her phone and threw it, breaking it against the side of their house.

Defence lawyer Nathan Gorham then cross-examined the woman, suggesting that she didn’t immediately call the police in relation to the incidents because she didn’t trust they could investigate the case impartially. He went on to suggest that she was going after the officer for money. The woman disagreed and said she just wants to support her daughter.

Gorham and Justice Richard Byers said that the trial could end before the two weeks it scheduled for.