[Newsbot]

Title: Cops probed for charging soccer player with sex assault despite Crown advice | P
Category: Law & Order
Posted By: shockedcanadian
Date: 2016-01-26 23:30:34
Canadian

[Freakinoldguy]

Actually I was quite startled to find that in Ontario the Police lay the charges which is completely opposite of what the do in BC.

$1:

In British Columbia, it is Crown counsel who makes the decision about whether charges will be laid or not.

http://victimsinfo.ca/en/investigation- ... of-charges


In BC police recommend charges and the Crown lays them but for whatever reason Ontario seems to think the personal accusation and police being the arbitrators system is the most efficient.

$1:

Generally, allegations of criminal activity are reported to the police. After the police investigate, they may lay criminal charges. However, anyone who has reasonable grounds to believe that a person has committed an offence may lay an information in writing and under oath before a Justice of the Peace.
When the information is presented to the court by a private citizen, it is then referred to either a provincial court judge or a designated justice of the peace, who holds a special hearing. The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether a summons or warrant should be issued to compel the person to attend court and answer to the charge.

But here's a question for you Ontarians. Who decides which of these private accusations gets to go to a provincial court judge or justice of the peace. Or do they all automatically go through with no preliminary investigation and if so how much freakin money is being spent on frivolous accusations?

[uwish]

I think it's always up to the crown no matter which province your in. Cops arrest, crown charges.

[andyt]

Seems the cops were just doing what many people expect them to - believe the woman even when there's scant evidence. Guess the cops had sensitivity training.

[shockedcanadian]

andyt andyt:

Seems the cops were just doing what many people expect them to - believe the woman even when there's scant evidence. Guess the cops had sensitivity training.

You have to take a woman at her word, but still, you need some evidence to support the charges also. Police have too long relied on their "gut" or "instincts", they aren't the most scientific of people.

Due to this, there are probably hundreds if not thousands of prisoners in Canada who might not even be guilty. Seems to me over the last decade with excessive budgets and constant scandals that there is a shift going on in Canada and other democracies. With the West requiring an "all hands on deck" approach to economic prosperity, the massive waste within society is going to be scrutinized, and head will eventually start rolling, there is no other alternative as far as I can see.