An Ontario Provincial Police officer filed a $6.3 million lawsuit against the Brantford Police Service and its board after facing charges, which were eventually dropped, related to an investigation into the theft of Wayne Gretzky’s memorabilia from the home of the hockey legend’s father.
The claim, recently filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Ottawa, says Insp. June Dobson was charged by officers who were “blinded” by the fact that the investigation related to the Gretzky family, leading to an investigation. “sadly inadequate”.
“His daily life has been affected by the exacerbation of his post-traumatic stress disorder. [post-traumatic stress disorder]In addition to now suffering from depression and anxiety,” the court document says.
Dobson and his attorney, Lawrence Greenspon, declined to comment on the lawsuit, as did the BPS.
None of the claims have been proven or proven in court.
Police had ‘tunnel vision’
Gretzky, 62, is a Hockey Hall of Famer who set a host of records and won numerous scoring and MVP titles. He had a two-decade playing career, including with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.
The lawsuit statement says that Dobson and Wayne’s father, Walter Gretzky, were close friends for years.
Walter had given Dobson an old Hespeler hockey stick that Wayne used while practicing in the family’s backyard. Wayne signed the stick in 2014, the claim says.
In May 2019, Dobson sold some of his Gretzky memorabilia, including the stick, to Shawn Chaulk, a collector of Gretzky memorabilia. The claim says the collector “was satisfied with the authenticity” and kept in touch with Dobson after the sale.
In September of that year, police received a tip from a Wayne family friend about a “substantial amount” of Gretzky memorabilia for sale online, prompting a joint investigation.
Police previously said officers arrested a 58-year-old Oakville, Ontario man and Dobson after a three-month investigation, following the theft of a total of $500,000 worth of memorabilia from Wayne’s home.
On December 7, 2020, Dobson was charged with fraud of more than $5,000 in connection with the club she sold. She was also accused of breach of trust for being an official of the OPP.
But both charges were dropped by the Crown on August 12, 2021. Walter, 82, had died a few months earlier.
“The defendants had tunnel vision from the beginning of the investigation,” the claim states. “They were blindsided by the fact that the investigation involved the Gretzky family and memories of Wayne Gretzky.”
According to the claim, officers “relied solely” on the statements of Walter and his children, despite the fact that Walter suffered from “steadily declining cognitive function for many years.”
The court documents that state police interviewed Walter while he was in a hospital bed. When shown a photo of him holding the stick and a photocopy of the certificate of authenticity he signed, Walter had no recollection of holding the stick or signing the certificate, they say.
The claim claims that police did not interview Chaulk, who has one of the most extensive Gretzky collections in the world. In fact, after learning that Dobson was arrested, Chaulk told police that he didn’t believe Dobson had ripped him off, he says.
Also according to the claim, the OPP and RCMP assisted Brantford Police, for which they are also responsible.
Both the OPP and the RCMP have declined to comment on the case.
Dobson’s life changed forever after the upload
Dobson is on medical leave from work because he has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The lawsuit statement says her PTSD has worsened and she now lives with depression and anxiety.
“Since his arrest, he has had to take medication for high blood pressure, has been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, and has experienced migraines, all of which he had never experienced before,” the statement said.
“Dobson also had to undergo dental surgery to correct damage caused by grinding his teeth due to the stress of his arrest and criminal prosecution.”
His reputation was also damaged, the lawsuit says, especially with the extensive media coverage of his arrest.
Dobson had plans to work with the OPP until his retirement and then start a research or consulting business, all of which fell apart, his lawsuit says.
