Corruption charges stayed against 3 Toronto officers

An Ontario court has thrown out corruption charges against three Toronto police officers, including the son of a former police chief.

Superior Court Justice Bonnie Croll stayed the charges Monday, ruling that William McCormack Jr., Rick McIntosh and George Kouroudis were denied their right to a fair trial because of excessive delays.

The officers were charged with multiple offences in 2003, including influence peddling and breach of trust. McCormack and McIntosh were charged with soliciting and accepting bribes from nightclub owners in the entertainment district.

McCormack, 50, is the son of former Toronto police chief William McCormack and brother of current police union chief Mike McCormack. McIntosh, 55, is the former head of the police union.

Kouroudis was a police constable who also ran a club called Lotus in the entertainment district.

The judge said it was mainly the fault of the prosecution that it took six years to bring the case to court. She blamed the lead police investigator for the lengthy delays.

This is the second time in two years that corruption charges have been stayed against Toronto police officers.

In January 2008, Crown delays led to charges being stayed against six former members of the drug squad. That ruling was overturned on appeal in October 2009.


CBC.CA