Accused former RCMP officer takes stand in sexual assault trial

By Jeremy Appel on October 18, 2018.

jappel@medicinehatnews.com @MHNJeremyAppel

A former Bow Island RCMP officer accused of sexual assault took the stand Wednesday at his trial.

Elliott Teed testified the entire day at Medicine Hat Court of Queen’s Bench, where he stands accused of one count of sexual assault and two counts of breach of trust stemming from a Feb. 12, 2015, traffic stop.

The complainant, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban, testified at the outset of the trial that Teed patted her down twice after smelling marijuana in her vehicle, with the second pat-down focusing on her breasts.

After issuing a 24-hour driving suspension, she alleges he returned to her parked vehicle where she was waiting to be picked up and he propositioned her.

Teed, who had been a Bow Island officer from August 2012 until his 2017 resignation, testified that when he searched her, he followed standard RCMP practices.

He said broadly speaking, officers are trained to “search every square inch of the body,” following a formula of “ask, look, pat and squeeze,” telling the suspect what they’re doing at every point of the process.

When men search females, they’re taught to touch around the breasts, under them, to the side and in between.

“As if you were doing a karate chop, you use the pinky side of the hand,” Teed testified, adding that the palm isn’t used.

“It’s just the edge of your hand.”

The day of the incident, Teed said he picked up Kaile Sadler, the young auxiliary who testified Tuesday, just after 5 p.m.

They only pulled over one vehicle that night, Teed said.

Sadler walked over to the complainant’s vehicle and motioned to Teed to come over.

After smelling marijuana, Teed told the complainant she was under arrest for possession, escorting her to the front of the police car and patting down her front and back pockets.

“She was quite upset at this point,” Teed observed.

The complainant told the accused she only had one joint, which was in a pillbox stashed in the driver’s side.

Sadler disposed of the joint, but the car still smelled of cannabis.

“S—, she lied to us,” Teed recalled telling Sadler.

She admitted she had more marijuana in the car, which was contained in a container wrapped in five grocery bags in a backpack.

Teed estimated it was about 10 grams.

The accused said he then decided to do a more thorough search of the complainant’s person and vehicle, which he said under cross-examination was to ensure she didn’t have any weapons or more illicit drugs.

Teed said he searched her bra line, “where the bra would be, just under the breasts.”

After noticing pupil dilation, he asked her when she last consumed cannabis, to which she replied about an hour ago, just as she was passing through Lethbridge.

Teed decided to give her a 24-hour driving suspension, which lasted until 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 13.

The complainant asked if she could stay in her vehicle while she waited for a friend to pick her up in a few hours, which he permitted.

“She seemed a little scared, so I felt she wouldn’t be caught driving,” Teed testified.

The complainant asked if she could be taken “some place more private,” like a rural road. Teed said no.

After dropping off Sadler at home, Teed returned to check in on the complainant, pulling up beside her vehicle.

“I could see she was very upset and crying,” he said.

According to defence lawyer Robb Beeman, Teed spoke to her for 20 minutes.

Teed said he re-assured her the incident would not go on her record, as she wasn’t arrested or even ticketed, and spoke to her about her cannabis usage.

He said he didn’t exit his vehicle, nor did he suggest she get into his, as the complainant alleges.

Teed said he went home after and didn’t return to the complainant’s car, as she testified.

The trial continues today with Teed’s further cross-examination and closing arguments.