Drug trafficker's sentence reduced after unreasonable strip search
The 26-year-old man was sentenced to 90 days for the crime
A small-time drug trafficker has been handed a lighter sentence after a judge ruled the man was forced to undergo a humiliating and degrading strip search by the RCMP.
The 26-year-old man pleaded guilty in December to selling cocaine and methamphetamine worth about $120 to an undercover police officer in Sherwood Park.
The Crown sought a sentence of one year in jail on the trafficking charge, but the man asked for a 90-day intermittent sentence.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Joanne Veit sentenced him to 90 days on Tuesday, citing the unreasonable strip search as the reasoning.
Six police officers and a police dog took part in the man's arrest and an initial search did not find any more drugs.
He was taken to the RCMP detachment, where he was thoroughly strip-searched, which was videotaped.
Veit noted the strip search was not authorized by a police supervisor and the officer did not take any notes about the search.
The officer testified that strip searches in such drug cases are routine.
Veit noted the Supreme Court of Canada has emphasized that police must have reasonable and probable grounds to conduct a strip search.