A former RCMP officer involved in the Surrey Six murder case admitted to a sexual affair with a witness in the investigation.
Ex-RCMP Sgt. Derek Brassington pleaded guilty earlier this month to breach of trust and obstructing justice “by compromising the safety and integrity of a witness” during the investigation.
“Instead of restoring public trust and faith in the RCMP, I killed it,” Brassington said during a tearful apology in court. “I made it 1,000 times worse by what I did. I’m sorry to everyone in the country that loves the police. As a dad, I shouldn’t have done this. As a husband, I shouldn’t have done this. As a cop, I shouldn’t have done this.”
According to an agreed statement of facts, Brassington struck up a sexual affair with the witness, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1, and drank alcohol with her on multiple occasions.
The witness was under RCMP care because of what she potentially knew about the 2007 murders, and was moved between Canadian cities for her protection, under the care of officers assigned to keep her cooperating with the case.
Brassington, then considered a young up-and-coming detective with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), had sex with the witness in cities across Canada in accommodations paid for by the RCMP while supposedly engaged in official witness management duties, according to the document.
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“During the course of their relationship, Sgt. Brassington compromised Jane Doe 1’s security on several occasions. He billed the RCMP for witness management trips which included his pursuit of his relationship with Jane Doe 1, including billing overtime for hours spent drinking and engaging in sexual activity,” reads the document.
In August 2009, Brassington, Jane Doe 1 and others purchased and consumed over $800 worth of alcohol at a bar in one Canadian city, where the pair engaged in public displays of affection.
In another city, Brassington gave his IHIT business card to a stripper, who was invited to party with him, Jane Doe 1 and others.
In September 2009, the document says Brassington lost his badge and wallet in a bar while out drinking with Jane Doe 1, which were recovered by bar staff the following day.
In November, Brassington and another officer flew to meet with Jane Doe 1 and a friend of hers identified as Jane Doe 3, where they spent several days drinking and going to clubs.
“All of them drank alcohol with the officers buying drinks for the women. At the club, Sgt. Brassington ‘made out’ with Jane Doe 3. The four returned to Jane Doe 1’s apartment in an intoxicated state whereupon Sgt. Brassington engaged in inappropriate sexual activity with Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 3 in the presence of” the other officer, reads the document.
The document reveals that a source eventually reported Brassington’s inappropriate affair with Jane Doe 1 in December 2009, at which point he was confronted by his superiors and an external investigation was launched by the Ontario Provincial Police.
Details of the case were under a publication ban, which was lifted following a challenge from Global News and the CBC.
Brassington received a sentence of two years less a day to be served in the community.
He has house arrest from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., except to pick up his kids. He has to pay $10,000 in restitution to the receiver general of Canada and he must perform 100 hours of community service.
Brassington was a Mountie for 13 years.
In May 2013, he quit the force after being charged in an unrelated shoplifting case. For that he apologized and received a conditional discharge.
Earlier this week, two other Mounties involved in the Surrey Six case pleaded guilty to failing to maintain law and order under the RCMP Act.
Eileen, the mother of victim Christoper Mohan, said she forgives the former Mounties, while acknowledging their “misconduct did harm the case… in a lot of ways.”
“It weakened our case and I don’t know Christopher will get total justice. My heart breaks every time I think about it.”
— With files from Jordan Armstrong