The complainant in Tim Shields香蕉视频直播� sexual-assault trial testified in court Thursday morning that she began attending his weekly strategic communication meetings in spring of 2009.
The woman 香蕉视频直播� who cannot be identified 香蕉视频直播� is a former civilian employee at the RCMP who worked with Shields when he was in charge of the strategic communication division of RCMP E Division.
Shields is on trial for one count of sexual assault at provincial court in Vancouver. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stems from a 2009-2010 investigation into misconduct at the RCMP.
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As the complainant spoke, the former RCMP spokesperson listened closely and took careful notes.
In opening statements last week, Crown counsel Michelle Booker said the trial concerns an alleged sexual assault that took place in a locked washroom during the fall of 2009. Booker characterized the case as 香蕉视频直播渁bout a woman who was sexually assaulted at work by one of her supervisors.香蕉视频直播�
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According to the complainant, she first met Shields when he became officer in charge of the strategic communications branch, either in late-2008 or early-2009. She explained to the court that she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in fall of 2013, and thus had trouble concentrating and communicating clearly.
The complainant described to Booker her position at the RCMP. At the time of her hiring in February 2008, she had been placed within the Green Timbers relocation project. That project involved consolidating RCMP offices throughout the Lower Mainland to one building in Surrey, the complainant said.
Her direct reporting line, she said, was to Supt. Wayne Sutherland, who was in the corporate management department and in charge of the relocation project, and who took the stand two days earlier.
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The complainant said she also reported directly to Robert Jorssen, head of corporate management at E Division.
The complainant testified that at a strategic communications conference in Chilliwack in spring of 2009, Shields had told her she had an 香蕉视频直播渋ndirect reporting香蕉视频直播� line to him. The complainant said she was 香蕉视频直播渢aken aback香蕉视频直播� by Shields香蕉视频直播� comment and that she felt she had been 香蕉视频直播渋gnoring one of my leaders.香蕉视频直播�
In the months following the conference, the complainant and Shields emailed back and forth. Those emails, read out in court, included Shields telling the complainant that he enjoyed getting to know her and, referencing an in-person conversation, told her 香蕉视频直播渄on香蕉视频直播檛 forget to bring your smile香蕉视频直播� and that one piece of artwork香蕉视频直播ο憬妒悠抵辈
In later emails, Shields referred to the complainant as a 香蕉视频直播渢eam member,香蕉视频直播� and in a 2009 employee assessment, called her a 香蕉视频直播渉ard working member of strategic communications team.香蕉视频直播�
In that same assessment, the complainant thanked Shields, Sutherland and Jorssen for their leadership. Asked by the Crown as to what the complainant meant when she referred to the three men as leaders, she answered simply 香蕉视频直播渢he people I report to.香蕉视频直播�
In spring of 2009, the complainant said she began attending Shields香蕉视频直播� weekly strategic communications meetings, requiring her to drive from her Downtown Vancouver RCMP office to the former operational RCMP headquarters at 37 Avenue and Heather Street.
Shields香蕉视频直播� lawyer David Butcher informed the judge that he did not agree the Crown香蕉视频直播檚 characterization of how regularly the complainant attended communications meetings.
According to the complainant, she also spent four straight days working side-by-side with Shields香蕉视频直播� team at RCMP headquarters in the summer of 2009 in order to 香蕉视频直播済et to know the team members香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渓earn procedures for working within the unit.香蕉视频直播�
Former spokesperson Tim Shields leaves his sex assault trial at provincial court today. Trial resumes Monday
香蕉视频直播� Kat (@katslepian)
The trial will resume on Monday at provincial court in Vancouver. It is expected to last for three weeks.
