Ottawa cop found guilty of assault while on duty won’t see jail time
Posted Jan 16, 2024 04:53:02 PM.
Last Updated Jan 17, 2024 10:07:24 AM.
The Ottawa police officer found guilty last year of assaulting a man in his custody will avoid jail time.
Const. Goran Beric will serve a suspended sentence with 30 months probation according to a ruling on Tuesday.
In October, a judge found Beric guilty of assault and assault with a weapon for his treatment of Derrick Weyman on Aug. 4, 2021 while he was under arrest. Beric struck the prone man on the head with his baton and stepped on his neck for over two minutes.
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) suspended him without pay afterwards.
“Our Professional Standards Section is reviewing the decision and next steps will be determined in the coming days,” wrote OPS in a response to CityNews when asked about Beric’s future with the force.
“The Association was hopeful the courts would have provided a reduced penalty to Constable Beric,” wrote Michael Cox, president of the Ottawa Police Association in a statement to CityNews.
“I have been in contact with his legal counsel to explore if grounds exist to appeal the decision and this is a possibility,” he added.
“Situations of this nature are not easy for anyone involved and we as an Association are here to provide support.”
Beric must also perform 200 hours of community service, is prohibited from possessing a weapon for nine months and cannot interact with the victim unless it’s required by his job.
