A Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer is suing the sports editor of the St. John's Telegram over a column that called the police handling of a sexual assault investigation incompetent.

Const. Terry Follett filed a statement of claim with the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador over an April 2010 column that Robin Short published in the sports section of the Telegram.

Sports editor Robin Short, seen in 2010, says his column contained opinions supported by fact. (CBC)

Headlined "The real crime," Short's column lambasted the RNC for its investigation of sexual abuse allegations against former hockey coach Rick Babstock. The Crown dropped charges against Babstock in 2010, days before the column ran.

"[Babstock's] notoriety brings to light another example of the incompetence that saturates our police and justice system. Certainly, there are some very good policemen and women down at Fort Townshend, but to have these wrongful charges — the clear result of ineptitude — occur is unacceptable and intolerable," Short wrote.

"Maybe Const. Terry Follett, the investigating cop, should be made to stand before the microphone and explain the process by which the probe was conducted, and by which the Inspector Clouseau-like conclusion to lay a charge came about," Short wrote, referring to the bungling detective played in the Pink Panther movies by comedian Peter Sellers.

In a statement of claim — which has also been brought against the Telegram's owner, Transcontinental Atlantic Media Group — Follett says Short's comments are "false and defamatory of his personal and professional reputation."

The claim argues that Short and Babstock were long-standing friends, and that the friendship triggered the column.

"[Short] was angry that his friend of 25 years had been charged with breaches of the Criminal Code of Canada by the plaintiff and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and that the intent of the article was to maliciously damage and injure [Follett's] personal and professional reputation in the community at large," the statement says.

In a statement of defence, Short and the Telegram argued that the column was an opinion piece on a matter of public interest.

The statement says the column was not specifically about Follett, but rather "the handling of a particular matter by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and the justice system generally."

Moreover, the statement of defence says the underlying facts behind the opinion are true, and that the article was published without malice. As well, Short and the newspaper claim the commentary is protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

No court date has been set yet.