Sudbury police officer accused of threatening a young player found not guilty

Jonathan Migneault · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 22, 2025 1:12 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 hours ago

An Espanola, Ont., tribunal recovered a Sudbury constabulary serviceman not blameworthy of threatening a 13-year-old hockey subordinate astatine the town's arena.

Melisa Rancourt, 51, was acquitted of the charge Tuesday. She besides faced 2 different charges successful this case, namely battle and causing a disturbance, but those were dropped before and during the trial, respectively.

The allegations against Rancourt stemmed from an speech during a hockey crippled connected Feb. 11, 2024, successful which the young subordinate accused her of threatening and physically assaulting him.

In her grounds during the trial, Rancourt, who was the caput manager of an Espanola hockey team, said she intended to talk with the opposing team's manager that time astir immoderate unsportsmanlike conduct, including radical slurs, inappropriate bodychecks and taunting. 

"I often person conversations with coaches aft games to sermon what has gone on," she told the court.

She said she was incapable to find the different team's manager and concisely spoke with 1 of the young players instead.

She maintained she told that young player: "Tell your teammate that if he's going to stroke kisses by the seat helium should marque definite the referee doesn't spot due to the fact that it's unsportsmanlike conduct." 

The player, whose sanction is protected by a work ban, told the tribunal that Rancourt told him: "If you guys bash different solemnisation similar that I'll marque definite you ne'er skate again," and implied she would interruption his and his teammates' ankles. 

The subordinate told constabulary officers Rancourt had assaulted him by touching his precocious body, but aboriginal testified successful tribunal helium had "messed immoderate up" with his connection to police.

Security footage astatine the arena showed determination was nary carnal interaction betwixt Rancourt and the player.

Rancourt's lawyer, Len Walker, told CBC quality that was the archetypal clip successful his 40-year vocation that a witnesser told him helium made it each up.

Walker said Rancourt plans to writer the Ontario Provincial Police for a "negligent probe and malicious prosecution erstwhile everything they said that she did did not really happen."

Walker added that officers who investigated the allegations against Rancourt failed to talk with definite witnesses, including a retired OPP serviceman who was astatine the game, who could person cleared Rancourt of immoderate wrongdoing.

"My lawsuit is relieved due to the fact that she had benignant of mislaid religion successful the justness system," Walker said.

He added that Rancourt continues to beryllium banned from immoderate spot owned by the municipality of Espanloa, including the hockey arena wherever her lad plays.

"I'll fto them cognize that these charges were dismissed and there's nary ground upon which they could contented a Trespass to Property Act announcement unless they conscionable didn't similar her," helium said.

Police suspension

The Greater Sudbury Police Service, wherever Rancourt is employed, has suspended her from her occupation since the allegations archetypal came to light.

"We recognize that specified cases tin person a profound interaction connected our community, and we stay focused connected continuing to physique spot and fortify relationships with the radical we serve, " Greater Sudbury Police Service spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn said successful an email to CBC News.

Dunn said a Rancourt's disciplinary proceeding is scheduled to resume connected May 13 present that the transgression proceedings has concluded.