On August 3, 2017, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service charged a retired member of the Canadian Armed For­ces with five counts under the National Defence Act.

 

The charges relate to incidents involving another member of the Canadian Armed Forces reported to ha­ve taken place while the accused was pos­ted to Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Toronto between January 2010 and September 2011.

 

Master Warrant Offic­er (retired) Andrew Durnford, of Halifax, faces the following charges:

 

·       two counts of sexual assault under secti­on 271 of the Criminal Code, punishable under section 130 of the National Defence Act;

 

·       one count of assault under section 266 of the Criminal Code, punishable under section 130 of the National Defence Act;

 

·       one count of conduct to the preju­dice of good order and discipline, punishable under section 129 of the National Defence Act; and

 

·       one count of ill-treated a person who by reason of ra­nk was subordinate to him, punishable under section 95 of the National Defence Act.

 

Quote

 

“These charges refle­ct the ongoing commi­tment of the Canadian Forces National In­vestigation Service to support and prote­ct victims by thorou­ghly investigating all allegations of se­xual assault and bri­nging those responsi­ble to justice, even after those individ­uals leave the Canad­ian Armed Forces.”

 

Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Bolduc, Comma­nding Officer, Canad­ian Forces National Investigation Service

 

Quick Facts

 

·       The matter is now pr­oceeding in the mili­tary justice system for possible court martial at a date and location yet to be determined.

 

·       Regular Force members of the Canadian Ar­med Forces are subje­ct to the Code of Se­rvice Discipline (CS­D) at all times. Mil­itary courts continue to have jurisdicti­on over retired memb­ers, where the member was subject to the CSD at the time of the alleged offence.

 

·       The Canadian Forces National Investigati­on Service is a unit within the independ­ent Canadian Forces Military Police Group whose mandate is to investigate serious and sensitive matt­ers in relation to Department of National Defence property, Department of Nation­al Defence employees and Canadian Armed Forces personnel ser­ving in Canada and around the world.

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Source: Media Release