Cop pleads guilty to breach of trust
An Abbotsford cop who was charged following a lengthy investigation into corruption has pleaded guilty to breach of trust.
Christopher Nicholson, a constable who joined the Fraser Valley police force in 2005 and was charged in 2013, entered his plea during a brief appearance Thursday in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver.
Before accepting the plea from Nicholson, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Brenda Brown got him to agree that he had made his decision voluntarily and had admitted the essential elements of the offence.
The judge told the accused that on sentencing, she would make her own decision and would not be bound by any agreement he might reach with the Crown.
The plea came on the day that a jury was to be selected for and following a lengthy pre-trial proceeding that was subject to a publication ban.
The offence relates to Nicholson having given false information to two other police officers and counselling a person to destroy evidence.
A number of other charges laid against Nicholson, including obstruction of justice, were stayed by the Crown Thursday. The matter was then put over until Sept. 20 to fix a date for sentencing. A lawyer for Nicholson declined to comment on his motivation for the plea.
A spokesman for the Abbotsford police said that they were aware of the guilty plea but were not prepared to comment at this time.
Despite his plea, Nicholson remains employed with the Abbotsford police department. He will remain employed until the Police Act disciplinary process is concluded.
In February 2015, nearly two years after the charges were laid against Nicholson, it was announced that the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner was looking into 148 misconduct allegations against 17 Abbotsford officers.
On Thursday a spokesman for the B.C. Prosecution Service said that no further charges had been laid against any other officers.