Former Bridgewater police chief facing sex charges no longer employed by Nova Scotia town

A Nova Scotia chief of police who is facing sexual assault charges is now unemployed.

The Town of Bridgewater, N.S., announced in a statement on Thursday that John Collyer, who was placed on administrative leave from his role as chief of police for the Bridgewater Police Service in August 2016, is no longer employed by the town.

“The employment relationship was finalized in accordance with labour standards in Nova Scotia, and independent of the matter before the courts,” the released said.

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READ MORE: No trial date yet for Nova Scotia police chief facing sexual assault charges

Collyer is accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl and is waiting to stand trial in Nova Scotia Supreme Court.

The 26-year veteran of the force was suspended in May 2017 after the province’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) laid one charge of sexual assault and two charges of sexual exploitation against him.

The girl was 17 at the time of the alleged offences in Bridgewater between April and July of 2016.

READ MORE: Bridgewater police chief placed on leave following sex assault allegations

Officials from the Town of Bridgewater and the Bridgewater Police Commission say they will have no further comment on Collyer’s employment status or the matter before the courts.

“It’s time to move forward,” said Mayor David Mitchell. “There will be information forthcoming about the appointment of a new Chief of Police in Bridgewater in the weeks to come.”

— With files from The Canadian Press