News Release

SIU Lays Charges Against Hanover Police Officer in Sexual Assault Investigation

Case Number: 21-OSA-309   

Mississauga, ON (3 February, 2022) ---
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has reasonable grounds to believe that a Hanover Police Service officer committed criminal offences in Hanover. 

On September 16, 2021, the SIU received a complaint of an alleged sexual assault that had occurred in 2017. The SIU launched an investigation. 

As a result of the SIU investigation, Cst. Ryan Cabral is charged with one count of sexual assault, one count of sexual exploitation, and one count of breach of trust by an official contrary to sections 271, 153, and 122 of the Criminal Code, respectively.

Cst. Cabral is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 207 Cayley Street in Walkerton on March 9, 2022.

As the matter is before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will not provide further comment on the 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

Lisez ce communiqué en français.

Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES