Sgt Judy Nosworthy, Toronto’s first police liaison officer to the queer community, has pleaded guilty to conducting an unauthorized computer search.
The Toronto Star reports that Nosworthy appeared before a police tribunal this month, charged with one count of discredible conduct under the Police Services Act.
Nosworthy used the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) computer — a database containing sensitive information about investigations and criminal records — to research a couple who allegedly sucked her into a $142,000 business scam.
“It is a completely out-of-character event in her truly distinguished career,” her lawyer Joseph Markson was reported as saying.
A letter read at the tribunal explained the events leading up to the Jun 10, 2004 unauthorized searches. After a marital breakup, Nosworthy joined a family friend in a business venture. When she learned the friend might be facing a fraud charge, she did a search. She claims that later, while she was heavily medicated after a car accident, the friend took advantage of her by having her invest $142,000, then putting the business in her name when he filed for bankruptcy.
The business partner was eventually criminally charged, and Nosworthy confessed to the searches.
Nosworthy is to be sentenced Wed, Nov 23.
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