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More charges laid in case of alleged assault involving Toronto police officer

Jul 21, 2017 | 9:00 AM

TORONTO — Ontario’s special investigations unit has laid more charges in a case in which a Toronto police officer is accused of assaulting a 19-year-old man.

Toronto police Const. Michael Theriault was charged earlier this week in connection with the alleged assault, which took place in Whitby, Ont., on Dec. 28, 2016.

The SIU says civilian Christian Theriault has also been charged in the same incident, but it does not indicate what, if any, relationship exists between the two men.

The agency has said there was an interaction allegedly involving Toronto police Const. Michael Theriault, who was off duty at the time, civilian Christian Theriault and the unnamed teen.

The SIU says the teen was taken to hospital with undisclosed serious injuries.

Both Theriaults are currently jointly charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon, and are facing individual charges of public mischief.

The SIU says the unit had concluded that there were “reasonable and probable grounds to believe that Christian Theriault…committed the same offences in relation to the same incident.”

It says there will be no further comment since the case is now before the courts.

Both accused are scheduled to appear in an Oshawa, Ont., court on Aug. 10.

The SIU is an arm’s-length agency that investigates incidents involving police in which someone is killed, injured or allegations of sexual assault.

The Canadian Press