The trial of former Bridgewater Police Chief John Collyer is in its second day.
Collyer is facing one charge each of sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor.
A publication ban is in effect to protect the identity of the minor.
This morning the court heard from the mother of the 17 year-old girl.
She revealed Collyer had inappropriate conversations with her daughter over Facebook Messenger.
The mother says a family friend brought the messages to her attention.
The family friend took the stand and explained the two didn’t know where to turn and as the friend put it, “The messages are very, very sexual. He’s a police officer, she’s a child. What do you do?”
The mother says she decided to show the exchange to a family doctor.
After reading the contents of the messages, the doctor alerted the RCMP.
Supreme Court Justice Mona Lynch had to address the admissibility of the Facebook messages and moved the trial into a voir dire.
The trial within a trial is used to determine if evidence will be considered.
In this case, whether or not the Facebook conversation between Collyer and the 17 year-old as well as a text message between Collyer and the girl’s mother would be permitted into evidence.
Lynch recessed at 2:30pm to consider the lawyer’s submissions .
She returned after an hour to say the messages will be allowed.
The trial continues and is expected to run into next week.
Reported by: Ed Halverson
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
E-mail: halverson.ed@radioabl.ca
