Toronto cop charged with sex assault also charged for 'unwanted' sexual relations on domestic call: documents - Action News
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Toronto cop charged with sex assault also charged for 'unwanted' sexual relations on domestic call: documents

A Toronto police officer who was charged with sexual assault and breach of trust Friday byOntario's police watchdog had previously been charged with misconduct by the police tribunal for alleged "unwanted and inappropriate sexual relations" with a person who reported a domestic assault.

Const. Ramdial Lokenath, suspended with pay, faces 5 misconduct charges for 2 separate incidents

A Toronto police officer, their head is not visible.
According to the province's public salary disclosure list, a Cost. Ramdial Lokenath earned $159,465 in 2022. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

A Toronto police officer charged with sexual assault by Ontario's police watchdog was also charged with misconduct for "inappropriate sexual relations"on a domestic assault callthat allegedly took place the same day.

On Friday, the Special Investigations Unit said it hadreasonable grounds to believe thatConst. Ramdial Lokenath, who has 14 years of service with the force, committed criminal offences against a woman on May 19, 2022, leading them to charge him with sexual assault and breach of trust.

Police tribunal documents obtained by CBC News indicate Lokenath, of 41 Division, wascharged with four misconduct offencesby the police tribunal for "inappropriate sexual conduct" and"unwanted and inappropriate sexual relations" during a domestic assault callthe same day.

The tribunal is a quasi-judicial forum where the police investigate allegations of serious breaches of its code of conduct and the Police Services Act.

It's unclear if the charges by the SIU and misconduct charges stem fromthe same alleged incident.

When asked if the SIU charge had to do with the incident described in the tribunal documents, the SIU said it would not provide further comment as the matter is before the courts. Toronto police also did not confirm if the charges were linked. Lokenath,will appear in court later this month, the agency said in a news release.

Officer used position for 'private advantage': documents

According to the tribunal documents, on May 19, Lokenath and a partner went to an apartment in Toronto for a reported domestic assault and arrested a man.

While his partner was in the patrol car with the suspect, Lokenath returned to theapartment to take the statement of the woman who reported the assault.It's then that the documents say heallegedly engaged in "inappropriate sexual conduct" with the woman.

The documents allege Lokenathturned off the video on his body camera and muted the audio for whichthere wasnoexplanationin his notebook.

Later that day while off-duty, Lokenath went back to the apartment and "engaged in unwanted and inappropriate sexual relations" with the same woman, the documents say. Lokenathalso allegedlysuggested he could "influence the charges facing her husband."

"In so doing, you improperly used your character and position as a member of the service for private advantage," the documents say.

Alleged domestic assault of wife

Beyond those four misconduct charges, Lokenath was also charged with one count of misconduct for allegedly assaulting his wife on Oct. 19, 2022.

Tribunal documents say the two were at homein Durham Region, when she called localpolice to report a domestic assault.Officers were told Lokenath physically assaulted his wife and injured her lip and left leg, the documents say.

Documents say shewas treated at Port Perry Hospital for her injuries.Durham police arrested Lokenath and released him on an undertakingwith several conditions.

CBC Toronto could not confirm if Lokenath faced criminal charges in relation to the alleged domestic assault.

Lokenath was notified of all of the five misconduct charges all at once in late 2022, according to the documents.Toronto police say the misconduct investigations have been adjourned until Lokenath's criminal charges have been dealt with.

As per the Police Services Act, Lokenathhas been suspended with pay, TPS spokesperson Stephanie Sayer told CBC News.

According to the province's public salary disclosure list, a Cost. Ramdial Lokenath earned $159,465 in 2022.