Calgary police officer accused of kidnapping woman and breaking into her home

Calgary police saya former officer has been charged with kidnapping, break and enter, and fraudulently using police databases while he was a member of the service.

DenisMcHugh, 35,resigned from the service and now lives out of province.

The criminal charges 11 of them, in total were announced Tuesday after police concluded an investigation intoMcHugh's alleged harassment of a Calgary woman and her boyfriend.

Acting deputy chief Ray Robitaillesaid there's no evidence of any sexual contact between the officer and the woman.

"There's no suggestion it's a case of stalking," he added.

The police commission had little to say given the matter is before the courts butCommissioner HowardShikazedid issue a written statement.

"The Calgary Police Commission shares the community's concern about any police officer who faces criminal charges, or any activity that threatens to erode public confidence and trust in Calgary's police service."

McHugh'slawyer AlainHepner says the full story will come out in court.

"I've interviewed him, I'm familiar with the case and there is a lot more to this story," he said.

Incident began with traffic stop

The case started in January, when the Calgary couple contacted police with complaints against the officer.

The woman alleged that on July 9, 2015, she wasstopped by the officer and was issued tickets for driving without a licence and driving without insurance.Her vehicle was towed.

She alleged that the officer then offered to drive her to her home in northeast Calgary, but the trip took three and a half hours, during which time she was locked in the back of the marked police vehicle and unable to get out.

The couple further alleged that, on Jan. 15, 2016, the officer approached them outside the woman's home and then followed her inside her home, entering the residence without permission.

Police said their investigation later revealed the officer had been accessing police computer databases to obtain information about the same man and woman between July 2015 and January 2016.

No known relationship

Acting deputy chief Ray Robitaillesaid investigators are not aware of any relationship between the woman and the officer prior to the traffic stop.

It's not unusual for an officer to offer a ride home to a person whose vehicle has been impounded, Robitaille said, noting it's a decision to be made at the officer's discretion depending on the specifics of a given situation.

He wouldn't elaborate, however, on why the officer allegedly kept the woman confined to the police vehicle for so long.

"Those are matters that are going to be presented at court as part of the trial."

The following charges were laid against theformer officer, who had served for eight years with the CPS:

• One count of kidnapping
• One count of obstruction of justice
• One count break and enter
• One count breach of the peace
• Two counts of fraudulently obtaining a computer service
• Five counts of breach of trust.

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