The trial of the former chief of the Bridgewater Police Service resumed Monday and the court watched a videotaped statement given by John Collyer after his arrest in 2017.
It was the key piece of evidence on the 6th day of his criminal trial in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Bridgewater.
Collyer is accused of sexually assaulting and sexually exploiting a 17-year-old girl in 2016.
He pleaded not guilty to both counts andelected trial by judge only.
In the five-hour videotaped interview played for the court Monday, Collyer is questioned by retired RCMP Sgt. Brian Richardson.
A publication ban prevents us from reporting anything that could identify the complainant.
Collyer tells the officer in the video that he and his wife know the complainant and have tried to help her and her family.
Over the course of the interview, Collyer can be heard repeatedly telling Richardson to charge him or release him.
He tells the officer he’s trying to be co-operative, but is frustrated.
The complainant’s mother previously testified she found what she considered to be inappropriate Facebook messages between her daughter and the former chief of police.
During the lengthy video, Richardson reads some of the messages alleged to have been exchanged between Collyer and the teen, including one where he called the teen “hot” and another where he sent a video showing a dog pulling a top off a woman.
During the video, Collyer tells Richardson he was drinking and is deeply ashamed and mortified about the messages.
“I think the messages are there, everybody can read them and make their own interpretation, as to the nature of the relationship,” Crown Attorney Roland Levesque said outside court.
In the video, Collyeralso told Richardson: “I’ve never said that there weren’t some inappropriate comments made.” Later, he told the officer “I did not touch that child. I did not touch that child at all.”
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Natasha Pace.
