Toronto police have announced that three Canadian officers were detained in Spain for allegedly sexually assaulting a sex worker in Barcelona.
The officers, named by The Canadian Press as Evan Glennie, Rich Rand, and Caglar Yigit, were apprehended last week by the Mossos d’Esquadra, the regional police in Catalonia. They stand accused of assaulting a sex worker in a taxi while off-duty on vacation. One officer was suspended upon return to Canada, and the other two are expected to face similar actions soon, as reported by Canada’s Global News.
Interestingly, all three officers are reportedly set to receive pay during their suspension.
“These allegations are serious. Once back in Canada, one officer was suspended with the Chief of Police’s consent under the Community Safety Policing Act,” a Toronto Police spokesperson informed Global News. “The other two will also be suspended when they return in the upcoming days.”
“In a time when we need to build public trust, it’s crucial for people to see leadership and a commitment to upholding our police culture and standards,” said Toronto Police Commissioner Councilor Shelley Carroll. “We anticipate action from both the Secretary and military leaders to uphold public confidence in law enforcement.”
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow spoke about the ongoing situation involving the three officers at a public event, saying, “If individuals have been found guilty of severe charges, such as sexual assault, they should face consequences.” She opted not to delve into specifics regarding the case due to its legal status.
A report from the Spanish newspaper El Mundo stated that the alleged assault took place early on May 13th in Barcelona’s Ciutat Vella area. An anonymous sex worker reported that three off-duty Canadian officers entered a taxi with her and assaulted her after she declined their advances and asked the driver to take her back to where they picked her up.
She described a situation where one officer sexually assaulted her, and when she pushed back, another officer struck her in the face, leading to an injury near her eyebrow. She noted that the third officer was in the front passenger seat of the taxi.
A plainclothes police officer in the area noticed a woman in the taxi screaming for help as it passed through a beach district in Barcelona. She was later examined by a doctor. Following reports made to Canadian police, two individuals were arrested, whereas another, suspected of the assault, initially escaped but was apprehended in Palma de Mallorca on Friday.
One officer remains in custody after attending court on Friday for sexual assault charges, while another has been released but faces accusations of resisting arrest.
