CONVICTED COP FREE ON BAIL

Joseph Daniel Paul (Danny) Ryan, the former Tantallon Mountie
convicted of drug trafficking recently, has gotten his wish.

He's free on bail until the appeal of his convictions can be heard on
Sept. 27.

Justice Thomas Cromwell of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal agreed
yesterday to release him on a number of conditions. Ryan's wife
Shannon had already offered to post bail.

Ryan, 33, was an up-and-comer in his detachment but ended up being
convicted of trafficking marijuana and breach of trust after a source
he cultivated to deal the drugs ratted him out. Ryan stole the drugs,
which had been seized during arrests, from the Tantallon office.

He is appealing his convictions.

In a written decision released yesterday, Cromwell ruled that holding
Ryan in jail is not necessary in the public interest. The judge was
satisfied the ex-cop is not a flight risk and that he poses no danger.
There's also nothing to suggest he'll re-offend before his appeal
hearing, Cromwell says.

The judge pointed out that if Ryan's appeal succeeds and he hadn't
been freed on bail in the meantime, he will have unjustly served time
in custody with loss of work and hardship on his "young and growing"
family. (The couple has a six-year-old son and is expecting a second
child.)

If he loses his appeal, it will simply mean he begins serving his
sentence a few weeks later.