Mike McIntyre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Winnipeg Free Press) – The Crown is seeking a four-month jail sentence for two Manitoba RCMP officers convicted of beating a handcuffed prisoner.
Cpl. Jeffrey Thomas Moyse, 42, and Const. Trevor Kyle Ens, 31, were convicted earlier this year of assault after their claims of innocence were soundly rejected. Queen’s Bench Justice Perry Schulman said the pair made “deliberate attempts” to hide the truth and discredit their victim.
Moyse and Ens returned to court Thursday for sentencing. Crown prosecutor Ryan Rolston told court only a term of real custody can properly address the serious “breach of trust” committed by Moyse and Ens.
Defence lawyers will make their submissions next week.
The police careers of Moyse and Ens are in serious jeopardy. RCMP spokesman Cpl. Miles Hiebert told the Winnipeg Free Press both officers have been reassigned to internal duties “and have no contact with members of the public.” He said a further review of their job status will now be conducted, but a final decision could be delayed by the sentencing and potential appeal of their guilty verdicts.
Moyse and Ens testified in their own defence earlier this year and denied the alleged October 2008 incident in Traverse Bay, about 120 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. But Schulman said he favoured the evidence of Conley Papineau, 22, who told court he was punched in the face and stomach, kicked in the head and repeatedly thrown around by the accused after being confronted in a bar parking lot.
Papineau said Moyse and Ens then threw him in the back of their police car, stopped on the side of a remote highway and continued the attack. Papineau said he was again punched and kicked and suffered a broken nose and several cuts and bruises. Papineau said he didn’t go to hospital for treatment because he didn’t want to spend “12 hours in a waiting room.”
Moyse and Ens admit they questioned Papineau in the parking lot of the Birchwood Motor Hotel because they believed he might have been attempting to drive while drunk.
They described Papineau as appearing “grossly intoxicated” and staggering.
Schulman said surveillance video of the parking lot showed Papineau displayed no signs of intoxication and appeared respectful of police.
[Source]
Recent Comments