Calgary police officer accused of assaulting pregnant fiance had 'toxic' relationship, trial hears

Calgary police officer Mark McCullough left bruises on his pregnant common-law wifeduring a fight thattook place in front of her four-year-old, according to her testimony Thursday.

But the accused andalleged victim were the only onesto testify in the he-said-she-said trial and each told a different version of theincidents in question.

A nine-year member, McCullough is on trial on three charges of domestic assault. The 44-year-old currently is suspended from the Calgary Police Service with pay.

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He is also facing unrelated charges of breach of trust and obstruction of justice, accused ofhelping a friend avoid an impaired driving charge in 2015. A trial date for those charges has not yet been set.

McCullough's ex-fiance who CBC News is not naming in order to protect the children involved described a poisonous relationship whereboth would parties were unfaithful and would fightalmost daily near the end of their time together.

McCullough agreed. He said they began fighting two weeks into their relationship, which he called "toxic."

The complainant is a 911 dispatcher who met McCullough in 2013. By November 2016, she was eight months pregnant and they were living together.

In the woman's version of events, McCullough twice assaulted her during arguments nine days apart. But McCullough said his ex initiated the violence punching him and head-butting him.

McCulloughin'agitated, angry' state

The first incident took place on Nov. 11, 2016. The complainant and McCullough got in a fight over other women he had been texting with when she took his cellphone and ran outside. She said he grabbed her by the wrist, and took her to the ground.

But defence lawyer Cory Wilson pointed to inconsistencies between her statement to police a year ago and her testimony in court. The complainant said in her original statement that McCullough grabbed her hand when trying to get his cellphone and that she fell to the ground.

The second incident happened on Nov. 20. This time the woman's then-four-year-old son was at home sleeping. The couple had been fighting all night and McCullough left for a few hours, returning around 5:30 a.m.

She said McCullough told her he just wanted to get drunk so she began to pour out the bottles of alcohol they had in their home.

"He's in a really agitated, angry state," she said.

Accused says he 'manhandled' ex-fiance

Several times McCullough grabbed her by the arms and forcedher out of the kitchen, according to her testimony. At one point, she said he picked her up by hereight-month pregnant stomach and lifted her, yelling and swearing ather to get out of the kitchen.

"He's so angry he doesn't care that he's going to harm his child," she said.

Eventually the woman said she went upstairs to begin packing bags for herself and her son with plans to leave.

McCullough came upstairs and put his hands around her neck and on her chest in front of the boy, as well asa verbal assault.

When he was given the chance to testify, McCullough admitted to "manhandling her out of the kitchen" and swearing at her but said he was just trying to control and remove her.Upstairs while she was packing,hesaid his then-fiance headbutted him.

Photos taken by police two days after the fight show bruising on her arms and wrists, and redness on her chest.

Decision date to be set

Under cross-examination, McCullough said he, in fact, was the victim andhe had to use police techniques to restrain her and take her to the ground.

He said he didn't call 911 because he doesn't trust the Calgary Police Service domestic conflict unit, which he said favours women.

But prosecutor Dane Rolf said the scenario McCullough described didn't make sense and asked why he didn't remove himself from the situation if he was the one being attacked.

"I'm not scared enough to go run and hide," said McCullough. "[I] wanted to control her movements."

Rolfe and Wilson will provide their closing arguments as written submissions for Red Deer provincial court Judge John Holmes. A date for a decision will be set Monday.

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