Peel cops under investigation for assaulting man handcuffed to a hospital bed in Brampton

Peel Regional Police are investigating the conduct of their own officers after an alleged puppy-napper from Brampton was assaulted and had his Charter rights violated while handcuffed to a hospital bed.

And while the alleged thief won’t be going to trial, Peel Regional Police are looking into “serious allegations of misconduct” by at least two of its own officers related to the incident.

Andry Korkis was arrested in Brampton on Dec. 20, 2019, after allegedly trying to steal a pit bull puppy at gunpoint. But Korkis shot himself in the leg trying to make an escape on foot and ended up in hospital under the watch of Peel Regional Police officers.

Still in hospital and awaiting surgery the day after the alleged robbery, Korkis and a PRP officer identified only as “Officer MacLellan” got into an argument when Korkis asked to speak with his lawyer – that’s when MacLellan assaulted Korkis who had one arm handcuffed to a hospital bed, according to court documents obtained by insauga.com.

Court documents show Korkis was repeatedly slapped by MacLellan and threatened “that it would happen again if he did not shut up,” Justice Thomas A. Bielby said in his ruling. On top of the assault, the court also found that another PRP officer identified as “Officer Reis” violated Korkis’ Charter rights when taking a statement from the accused.

Because of the “impugned conduct” of the officers, Justice Bielby stayed the charges against Korkis meaning a trial will not move forward now that a window to appeal the decision has closed.

Peel Regional Police says it has been notified of the allegations against the officers and the incident is being investigated by PRP’s Professional Standards Unit.

“In this instance, the Crown notified our office of the judicial findings and we immediately commenced an investigation into the allegations,” a police spokesperson said.

While there was a judicial finding of a Charter breach, police say that the officers’ conduct “was not at issue before the court, nor were they given an opportunity to respond to the allegations.”

Police said the investigation will examine “the conduct of all of the involved officers” who will have “the opportunity to respond to the allegations before a decision is reached.”