By Charles Lefebvre and Ashley Wiebe

Trial begins for former RCMP officer charged with sexual assault

Oct 15, 2018 | 4:55 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The trial for a former RCMP officer charged with sexual assault nearly two years ago got underway in the Medicine Hat Court of Queen’s Bench on Monday.

Elliot Teed was charged with one count of sexual assault and two counts of breach of trust in April 2016 in connection with a traffic stop near Bow Island in February 2015. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

The trial immediately got underway with the woman who filed the complaint against Teed taking the stand in the courtroom. Her identity is protected under a publication ban.

The woman testified that she was travelling on Highway 3 on February 12, 2015, when she was stopped during a check stop near Bow Island.

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She testified Mounties identified a smell of marijuana in her vehicle, which she confirmed was true, and told them she also had marijuana in her vehicle.

The woman was asked to pull over to the side of the road and exit her vehicle. She identified Teed, who was sitting in the courtroom, as one of the officers involved in the checkstop.

The woman alleges Teed performed a pat down search on her twice, noting the second search was focused around her chest.

She says she was eventually issued a 24-hour driving suspension, and told to move her car to the parking lot of a nearby business.

The woman alleges later that evening, Teed showed up alone in his vehicle and pulled up next to her while she was on the phone. She alleges Teed asked her to get in his vehicle for a ride, which she interpreted as a sexual comment, and refused.

The woman later left the area, and filed a complaint with RCMP several days following the incident.

Once she was finished testifying, Teed’s lawyer cross-examined the complainant, arguing there were inconsistencies in her testimony compared to the complaint she made with the RCMP.

The lawyer noted in the testimony, the woman said she was not wearing a bra during the checkstop, while she told the RCMP officer while filing the complaint that she was wearing a bra.

Teed’s lawyer added the woman also initially did not show up for a scheduled appointment with RCMP to make her statement.

The woman was also pressed about specific details regarding conversations she had with Teed and another officer during the checkstop, but she could not recall what she may have said. She was also questioned about phone calls made during the evening around the time of the stop.

The cross-examination concluded at 3:15 p.m.

Teed was present throughout the trial, sitting at his lawyer’s desk. Aside for his arraignment, he did not say a word in court.

CHAT News has previously reported Teed has since left the RCMP.

The trial resumes Tuesday morning, with more witnesses expected to testify.

The trial is scheduled to run until Friday.