Closing arguments made in sex assault trial of former Bow Island RCMP officer

By Jeremy Appel on October 19, 2018.

jappel@medicinehatnews.com @MHNJeremyAppel

The Crown and defence presented closing arguments Thursday in the trial of Elliott Teed, a former Bow Island RCMP officer accused of sexual assault during a 2015 traffic stop on Highway 3.

The Court of Queen’s Bench trial heard testimony from six witnesses — the complainant; her boyfriend; Jarom Leafloor, the officer in charge of the Bow Island detachment the night of the incident; Michael Hill, the Eston RCMP officer to whom the complainant came forward; Kaile Sadler, the auxiliary who accompanied Teed at the traffic stop; and Teed himself.

Defence lawyer Robb Beeman said the case hinges on the credibility of the complainant, whom he called “an unmitigated liar.”

The Crown and defence agreed Teed returned to her vehicle that had been given a 24-hour driving suspension at 9:19 p.m. on Feb. 12, 2015.

A couple hours prior, Teed had given the complainant two pat-downs — the second of which the Crown alleges was a grope — after finding marijuana in her car before leaving her with her vehicle and keys to wait for a friend to pick her up.

The complainant testified that Teed returned to her car four times in an effort to proposition her, which she described as “an ongoing stalking,” but according to GPS data, he was only there once.

The Crown alleges he turned off the computer after returning to the vehicle the first time, but Beeman asked why he would leave it on at all if he was trying to conceal further interaction with her.

At one point during the defence’s argument, Justice Robert Hall interjected with some questions he had with Teed’s narrative.

Teed testified that he didn’t know whether the complainant was wearing a bra, but said he did a pat-down of her chest area.

The complainant and Sadler both testified that she wasn’t in fact wearing a bra, while Teed told the investigating RCMP officers that he saw her nipples.

Hall observed that the complainant initially told Hill she was wearing a bra, but during her official statement to the RCMP said she wasn’t, so there’s no inconsistency between her statement and testimony, as Beeman had suggested Monday.

“I don’t see that there’s any need for the second search,” Hall added.

RELATED: Accused former RCMP officer takes stand in sexual assault trial

Teed testified Wednesday that he felt the need to search the complainant again after he discovered she lied to him about how much cannabis she had in her vehicle.

The justice also found it unusual that Teed didn’t dispose of the complainant’s marijuana in front of her, holding onto it and not disposing it until the next morning when he had to take his son to school.

Teed testified he held on to the weed to dispose of it with Sadler, but Hall said he could have done that at any time before dropping Sadler off at his parents, prior to returning to the complainant’s vehicle.

“He seemed to have a very cavalier attitude,” said Hall.

The Crown alleged he held onto the marijuana to “lure” the complainant to have sex with him in exchange for its return.

The prosecution also took issue with Teed having lost his notebook for Feb. 12, although Teed testified he hadn’t taken any notes in it.

“He might be a bad policeman. He might not be diligent,” but that doesn’t mean he committed a sexual assault, Beeman responded, adding that Teed wasn’t on trial for carelessness.

Hall is scheduled to provide his ruling this afternoon.

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