News (Media Awareness Project) - CN ON: Constable Faces Hashish Charge |
| Title: | CN ON: Constable Faces Hashish Charge |
| Published On: | 2000-01-15 |
| Source: | Toronto Star (CN ON) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-05 06:30:09 |
CONSTABLE FACES HASHISH CHARGE
Drug cases involving officer left in jeopardy
A Toronto police officer attached to a drug squad has been charged with
possession of hashish for the purpose of trafficking, placing a number of
major drug cases in jeopardy.
Constable Mark Denton, who has been on the force for 18 1/2 years, was
formally charged yesterday. He has been suspended with pay and is scheduled
to appear in Newmarket court on Feb 11.
The charge stems from an incident last Nov. 17 in York Region when police
pulled over a vehicle on Woodbine Ave., north of Aurora Rd., on suspicions
the driver was impaired.
According to sources, the man driving the car identified himself as an
off-duty Toronto police officer. Police say hashish was found in the
vehicle.
The man driving the car indicated the hashish had been seized as evidence,
police say.
While it was Ontario Provincial Police who stopped the vehicle, Denton's
activities that night were investigated by officers from 14 Division in the
city's downtown.
In late November, senior Toronto police officers met with federal drug
prosecution officials over the matter.
After that meeting, case after case came to an abrupt end as crown attorneys
cited possible disclosure issues and either asked for adjournments or stayed
charges.
Defence lawyers were left baffled as their clients, accused of serious drug
offences, walked free.
``We were informed at the end of November that Mark Denton was under police
investigation,'' Tom Beveridge, acting deputy section head of criminal
prosecutions for the federal department of justice, said yesterday.
At the time, the crowns could not reveal why the charges in cases involving
Denton were being stayed. ``If there's an ongoing investigation, you know,
there's investigative privilege that applies and we just sort of couldn't
breach the privilege,'' Beveridge said.
By law, the crown has a year from the date of staying charges to reinstate
the cases.
Denton's lawyer, Gary Clewley, said yesterday that his client maintains he
is innocent.
Drug cases involving officer left in jeopardy
A Toronto police officer attached to a drug squad has been charged with
possession of hashish for the purpose of trafficking, placing a number of
major drug cases in jeopardy.
Constable Mark Denton, who has been on the force for 18 1/2 years, was
formally charged yesterday. He has been suspended with pay and is scheduled
to appear in Newmarket court on Feb 11.
The charge stems from an incident last Nov. 17 in York Region when police
pulled over a vehicle on Woodbine Ave., north of Aurora Rd., on suspicions
the driver was impaired.
According to sources, the man driving the car identified himself as an
off-duty Toronto police officer. Police say hashish was found in the
vehicle.
The man driving the car indicated the hashish had been seized as evidence,
police say.
While it was Ontario Provincial Police who stopped the vehicle, Denton's
activities that night were investigated by officers from 14 Division in the
city's downtown.
In late November, senior Toronto police officers met with federal drug
prosecution officials over the matter.
After that meeting, case after case came to an abrupt end as crown attorneys
cited possible disclosure issues and either asked for adjournments or stayed
charges.
Defence lawyers were left baffled as their clients, accused of serious drug
offences, walked free.
``We were informed at the end of November that Mark Denton was under police
investigation,'' Tom Beveridge, acting deputy section head of criminal
prosecutions for the federal department of justice, said yesterday.
At the time, the crowns could not reveal why the charges in cases involving
Denton were being stayed. ``If there's an ongoing investigation, you know,
there's investigative privilege that applies and we just sort of couldn't
breach the privilege,'' Beveridge said.
By law, the crown has a year from the date of staying charges to reinstate
the cases.
Denton's lawyer, Gary Clewley, said yesterday that his client maintains he
is innocent.
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