RCMP officer faces 2 assault charges

Update, Feb. 17, 2023:The Crown entered a stay in the prosecution ofAaron Brownin court on Feb. 15, 2023. A stay of proceedings initiated by the prosecutor allows the Crown to recommence the prosecution within one year. At this time, there are no future court dates scheduled for Mr. Brown, the Public Prosecution Service told CBC News.

An RCMP officer has been charged with two counts of assault after an investigation by Nova Scotia's Serious Incident Response Team, the province's police watchdog.

Const. Aaron Brown, 41, is scheduled to appear in Sydney provincial court on May 17.

SIRT did not release details of the incident that occurred Jan. 26, saying that doing so could compromisethe officer's right to a fair trialasthe matter is now before the courts.

As part of the SIRT investigation, the victim, eight police officers and five civilian witnesses provided statements. The notes of three police officers and a video were also reviewed.

The RCMP contacted SIRTto report the allegation on Feb. 2.

According to a Cape Breton Post story from 2012, Brown pleaded not guilty to a previouscharge of assault for an incident in New Brunswick in 2011, and was acquitted after the Crown presented no evidence.