The case against veteran Barrie police officer and former National Hockey League player Bruce Gardiner scheduled for today (June 26) in trial scheduling court continues to be adjourned.
Gardiner faces criminal harassment and extortion charges. Now 53, he was formally charged Feb. 4, 2022.
Both the Crown attorney and Gardiner’s defence team agreed to push the virtual appearance to set a date for the trial to begin July 3 in a Barrie court.
Several adjournments over the past month have delayed the start of the trial. There was no information given today as to the reason for the delay.
Court documents obtained by BarrieToday allege Gardiner harassed and, “without reasonable justification or excuse and with intent to obtain compliance,” threatened to release "sensitive photographs" of the complainant, contrary to the law.
When the charges against Gardiner were announced in February 2022, Barrie police said the alleged events occurred while he was off duty between March 2016 and January 2018, and stemmed from conduct toward another member of the city's police department.
In July 2021, Barrie police chief Kimberley Greenwood, who has since retired, said she learned of the allegations and ordered an investigation into Gardiner’s conduct. He was immediately suspended from duty with pay.
An investigation by the police department’s Professional Standards Unit resulted in the two criminal charges being laid. No other details have been released about the allegations.
There is a publication ban on information that could identify the alleged victim, as well as any information heard at the preliminary inquiry.
None of the allegations against Gardiner have been tested in court and he's considered innocent unless proven guilty.
Gardiner played in 312 NHL games, scoring 34 goals and adding 54 assists during stops in Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Columbus and New Jersey between 1996-97 and 2001-02. He was selected in the sixth round (131st overall) of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues.
He also played with the Barrie Colts Junior B team in the late 1980s, when they were in the Central Ontario Hockey League, before playing college hockey with Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y.
Gardiner’s hockey career also included stops in the Russian Super League and Finland. His professional hockey career ended in the 2004-05 season with the Adirondack Frostbite of the United Hockey League.
Gardiner came up through the Barrie Minor Hockey Association and was inducted in the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
