Give victims a choice before imposing I.D. ban

A former Toronto police officer is appealing his criminal conviction and jail sentence in a sexual assault case involving a Chinese immigrant who was forced to perform oral sex on him at the spa where she worked in June 2010, reports the Toronto Sun.

Mandip Sandhu was convicted and sentenced last year for forcing the woman to perform oral sex while she was working as a masseuse at a North York spa.

Sentenced in June 2013 to 15 months’ imprisonment, Sandhu has been free on bail pending his appeal, the Sun reports.

The woman is also suing Sandhu and Toronto Police Service Board. The civil lawsuit alleges the board is liable for Sandhu’s sexual misconduct while on the job and for not having a rigorous inspection policy in place to prevent abuse and exploitation by police officers accessing such establishments.

In the civil suit, the woman is represented by Toronto lawyer Elizabeth Grace, partner with Lerners LLP.

In appealing his conviction and sentence, Sandhu’s lawyer argued certain evidence should not have been admitted due to a violation of his Charter rights. Sandhu also wants to do his time in the community and not in jail, the Sun reports. The defence described the 15-month sentence as harsh and excessive, says the Sun article.

Justice Brian O’Marra of the Ontario Superior Court, who heard Sandhu’s appeal, reserved his decision, says the Sun.

This article originally appeared on AdvocateDaily.com