News Release
Ontario Provincial Police Officer Charged
Case Number: 12-PCI-080
Mississauga (15 June, 2012) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ian Scott, has reasonable grounds to believe that an officer with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Greenstone Detachment committed a criminal offence in relation to injuries sustained by 42-year-old Gary Lawrence Megan. Director Scott has caused charges to be laid against the officer.
On February 11, 2012, Mr. Megan was arrested and taken to the Greenstone Detachment. There was an interaction between him and an officer in the cell, and Mr. Megan was injured. He was taken to hospital for treatment. When Mr. Megan returned to the hospital approximately two weeks later, a CT scan determined he had sustained a serious injury to the eye area.
As a result of the SIU investigation, OPP Constable Brian Bellefeuille is facing one charge of Assault Causing Bodily Harm, contrary to s. 267(b) of the Criminal Code of Canada, and one charge of Public Mischief, contrary to s. 140 of the Criminal Code of Canada.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 299 East Street in Geraldton on August 16, 2012. The Justice Prosecutions branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General will have carriage of the prosecution.
As this matter is now before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the charged officer and the community, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations