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Questions raised about Creba detective's work

Last Updated: Friday, June 22, 2007 | 1:19 PM ET

CBC News

A senior Toronto police homicide detective is under fire for his handling of a 2003 murder plot case that has also raised concerns about his other work, including the investigation of the deadly 2005 Boxing Day shooting.

Key wiretap evidence was tossed out by a judge, leading to the acquittal of a man charged with attempted murder, after the judge found Det.-Sgt. Savas Kyriacou's affidavit requesting permission to eavesdrop "amounted to a reckless disregard for the truth."

Justice Brian Trafford called the sworn statement "false" and "misleading," and found it omitted a string of crucial facts.

Trafford says Kyriacou did not deliberately attempt to mislead the judge, but is highly critical of the detective's selective tailoring of the evidence.

The officer's other cases could all be tainted, according to defence lawyers involved in the case of teenager Jane Creba, who was shot to death in downtown Toronto on Dec. 26, 2005.

"I mean, this is a detective-sergeant with decades of experience within the [Toronto Police Service]," said lawyer Selwyn Pieters. "It still goes to his credibility. It still goes to his integrity."

Pieters represents Richard Steele, a reluctant witness in the Creba case who pleaded guilty to unrelated drugs and firearms-related offences.

The charges stemmed from wiretaps set up in the wake of the deadly shooting on Yonge Street into a crowd of innocent bystanders that killed 15-year-old Creba and left six others injured.

Steele was released from jail earlier this month after serving his time.

He has been ordered to testify during the preliminary hearings for Creba's accused killers. Investigators have speculated that Steele was the intended target of the shooting.

Toronto police won't comment on whether they'll now investigate Kyriacou's other investigations involving wiretaps or whether he'll be disciplined.

The police and the Crown are still reviewing the ruling and may seek an appeal. Calls to Kyriacou on Thursday were not returned.

This story is now closed to commenting.

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Creba witness forced to testify

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