Allegations against police officer added to mix at Robert Regular trial

An investigation into a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer's conduct was prompted by statements made to a private investigator hired by Robert Regular's defence team, a St. John's courtroom was told Wednesday.

Regular, 72, is on trial at Supreme Court on four counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference in relation to a sole complainant who says she was sexually assaulted by the lawyer four different times, beginning when she was 12.

However, much of Wednesday morning's cross-examination focused on an unrelated incident: the existence of a report by Newfoundland and Labrador's Serious Incident Response Team, a civilian-led police oversight agency.

"Do you recall being interviewed by SIRT?" asked defence counsel Rosellen Sullivan.

The woman, who is now in her mid-30s, said she was approached by the independent police investigators in 2021 after her mother told private investigator and former RNC officer Campbell Feehan that the woman had a sexual relationship with a police officer.

The identity of the police officer is protected by a publication ban.

"I didn't want to press charges or come forward with that information," the woman said.

"This was my experience. I didn't want to share it with anyone.… I felt betrayed [by my mother.]"

The complainant asked to take a break during a tense moment of questioning, grabbing tissues during cross-examination. (Ariana Kelland/CBC)

The woman spoke with SIRT on two separate occasions but said she didn't want to, and acknowledged the information in the statements are not correct.

Sullivan said police records contradict the account the woman provided, including her assertion that the officer first met her when responding to a domestic violence call that resulted in the arrest of her boyfriend.

The defence lawyer also said the man was not a police officer when the woman was 15.

"I'm aware," she said. "As I stated there's a lot of inconsistencies in both of these statements."

She said she was a willing participant in the sexual relationship but said there were a handful of times when she did not consent.

"He threatened me that I would get in trouble if I didn't have sex with him."

No charges laid

The woman said she "felt pressured by SIRT" at the time the statements were taken and said investigators visited her home on multiple occasions before she got a lawyer to email them and ask them to stop.

At the same time, the complainant said she feared she was being followed by the private investigator hired by Regular.

After a lengthy back-and-forth between the woman and Sullivan, Crown prosecutor Deidre Badcock interjected and said the cross-examination was repetitive and "abusive."

"This has to end," Badcock said.

A report from SIRT director Mike King released in April 2023 outlined its investigation, including interviews with the complainant and three witnesses. The police officer declined to speak with SIRT.

"While … minor inconsistencies are to be expected, there are major inconsistencies in [the woman's] evidence on several important points," King wrote.

No charges were ever laid against the police officer.

Crown prosecutor Deidre Badcock objected to defence counsel's line of questioning, at one point calling it 'abusive.' (Ariana Kelland/CBC)

In an emailed statement to CBC News, RNC media relations officer Const. James Cadigan said the force would not be commenting to protect the integrity of the ongoing court case.

SIRT director, Mike, King, told CBC News in an emailed response that he could not discuss the specifics of any case, but offered comment on how his team conducts their investigations.

"I can say our approach on any SIRT-NL file is and always has been not to pressure a complainant to take part in an investigation if they do not wish to do so," King wrote.

"Our belief is that an individual should have control as to whether their complaint is investigated."

Before concluded her time on the stand, the complainant was asked further questions on redirect from Badcock.

Among them: clarifications over a previous exchange over the complainant's recollection of the office furniture in Regular's office.

"Did you take photos of the chair you were being sexually assaulted on?" Babcock asked.

"Did you take note of the chair you were being sexually assaulted on?"

"No, I did not."

The trial is expected to continue on Thursday.