Seizure of Montreal journalist's laptop upheld by Quebec Superior Court

A Quebec Superior Court judge has ruled that the police seizure of a Montreal journalist's laptop was legal.

The decision comes after the French-language newspaper Le Journal de Montral challenged thewarrant granted by a justice of the peace,Nicole Martin, that led to the seizure.

In September, the Sret du Qubec confiscated the computer of the Journal's justice reporter,Michal Nguyen, because investigatorsbelieved he had illegally obtained information cited in an article he wrote last June about Quebec Superior Court JusticeSuzanne Vadboncoeur.

• Quebec judge apologizes for after-party insults
• Report into Montreal police spying scandal 'a whitewash,' Opposition says

The article revealed that Vadboncoeurhad beencited in a complaint filed by a police officer for allegedly insulting constables after a Christmas party in December 2015.

The Conseil de la magistrature, an independentbody that oversees the conduct of judges, filed its owncomplaint with the SQ after Nguyen'sarticle appeared.

The council claimed information about the complaint was obtained by illegally hacking into its website, which led to the warrant granted by Martin.

Vadboncoeurlater apologized for her behaviour before the same council in September.

Le Journal unsuccessfully argued that the SQ did not have enough evidence to obtain a warrant and seize Nguyen's laptop.

In her decision, JusticeAliciaSoldevilarejected the Journal's challenge and upheld thewarrant granted byMartin.