RCMP lawyer says B.C. officer’s ‘downright ghastly’ comments violated code of conduct

By Canadian Press on October 22, 2025.

A lawyer for the RCMP’s conduct authority says a British Columbia officer made comments over police computer terminals and in a private group chat that contravened the force’s code of conduct and were “downright ghastly”

John MacLaughlan says Const. Mersad Mesbah’s comments uncovered during an investigation included denigrating a domestic violence complainant.

Closing submissions continued today in an RCMP hearing into allegations that comments by Mersad and fellow Coquitlam RCMP constables Ian Solven and Philip Dick on the force’s data terminals and in a Signal group chat on private phones amounted to misconduct.

MacLaughlan says Mesbah was not a “credible witness” when he claimed his comments were made out of frustration and came from a place of “darkness.”

He says Mesbah claimed to not remember details about messages while testifying under oath, but offered a “self-serving narrative” about his intentions.

Allison Tremblay, Mesbah’s lawyer, says the entire investigation into her client was unfair and told the adjudicator that “shoddy police work” shouldn’t be excused, while denying that the RCMP has a legitimate interest in members’ private communications.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2025.

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press