A former Ontario police officer who has been in jail for a week could be sentenced for six more months if he doesn't testify at an inquiry on Monday.
Former Cornwall, Ont., police officer Perry Dunlop was arrested in B.C. last week and taken back to Toronto to face contempt charges. Dunlop has repeatedly refused to testify before a two-year-old public inquiry looking into how allegations of a pedophile ring in Cornwall in the 1990s were handled.
Monday will be Dunlop's last chance to testify at the inquiry before the court convicts him.
"It sends a very strong message to police officers and anyone with a fiduciary duty to report child abuse that this is what is going to happen if you go up against the system," Dunlop's wife, Helen told CTV News on Sunday.
Dunlop lives in B.C. now, but in 1994 he was a police constable in Cornwall who investigated the allegations of a child sex abuse ring.
His work led to 114 complaints against 15 prominent citizens, including members of the clergy.
Of the three cases that made it to court, one person was convicted and two of those accused committed suicide.
"This is not a trial, but this is an important public inquiry and we expect that the witnesses who are summoned to fully participate in this inquiry," lead commission counsel Peter Engelmann told CTV.
Convicted of contempt, Dunlop was arrested by B.C. RCMP and taken back to Ontario for sentencing.
Dunlop could wipe away the contempt conviction if he changes his mind and testifies on Monday. If not, he will return to the court of appeal on Mar. 5 and could receive six months in jail.
With a report by CTV's Scott Laurie
