Wednesday, January 23, 2013

CANADA - Retrial begins for cop accused of leaking info to Hells Angels

OFF THE WIRE
WELLAND - A retrial of a former Niagara Regional Police officer accused of leaking information to the Hells Angels is underway in a Welland courtroom.

Justice Peter Hambly listened to testimony of several witnesses involved with the investigation into Const. Frank Dean Rudge during the first day of the trial Monday.

The Niagara Regional Police officer, who resides in Welland, was charged with breach of trust for allegedly releasing confidential police information from the Port Colborne detachment to the Niagara chapter of the outlaw motorcycle gaxxx. The information included police files on the rival Outlaws biker gaxxx.

The former officer was charged following a provincewide raid in 2006 and was acquitted in 2010. In 2011 the Court of Appeal ordered the case be retried.

Rudge has entered a plea of not guilty.

Crown prosecutor Robin Flumerfelt called on two Niagara officers, David Gomez and Brian Ash, who were both involved in the execution of search warrants at various locations in relation to the Rudge investigation and asked them to identify items seized as a result.

Gomez identified NRP memos and information about police work schedules uncovered at Cedar Bay Inn, while Ash identified a Hells Angels jacket and about $150,000 found in the home of Niagara chapter president Kevin Wagner.

Testimony continues today at 10 a.m. at the Welland courthouse.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2013/01/21/retrial-begins-for-cop-accused-of-leaking-info-to-hells-angels