City cop denies domestic-violence charges
Fredericton police Const. Colin Holmes, 25, will see trial date set at case-management conference early next year, remains suspended with pay pending outcome of case
Defence counsel for a Fredericton police officer accused of assaulting and threatening a woman at her Hanwell home this fall denied the allegations on her client’s behalf Monday.
Fredericton Police Force Const. Colin Holmes, 25, of Fredericton, faces summary charges of assaulting on Deidra Wheeler, threatening to kill her and forcibly entering her home.
The three charges - laid by the New Brunswick office of the Nova Scotia Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) - all stem from alleged Sept. 24 events in Hanwell.
SIRT is an independent law-enforcement agency that investigates police actions alleging death or injury as a result of officer actions, or violent offences officers are accused of committing. As per its name, it was established to investigate police officers in Nova Scotia, but it recently entered into an agreement with the New Brunswick provincial government to handle such duties in this province as well.
The case was back in Fredericton provincial court Monday for pleas. Holmes wasn’t present, but Fredericton defence lawyer Emily Cochrane, noting she’s co-counsel with T.J. Burke, said she was authorized to appear on the officer’s behalf.
She entered not-guilty pleas to all counts.
Cochrane noted she and Crown counsel assigned to the case hadn’t discussed yet how long would be needed for trial, so Judge Scott Brittain set the matter down for a case-management conference Jan. 4, at which time a trial date will be set.
A Fredericton Police Force spokesperson confirmed earlier this month that Holmes - who joined the force in 2019 - is suspended with pay as a result of the charges.
That status will remain in effect until the court case concludes. After that, an internal Police Act complaint against Holmes will resume.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.
Nice long PAID holiday. we all should be lucky enough to get such punishment..
He could of been put on desk duty instead !