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Prosecutors appeal B.C. cops’ acquittal of sex assault charges in Cuba

Port Moody’ Const. Jordan Long and Vancouver’s Const. Mark Simms were acquitted last week
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Port Moody Police Department Const. Jordan Long and Vancouver Police Department Const. Mark Simms in a photo used for an online poster by friends and family. (Facebook)

Prosecutors are appealing a unanimous ruling that cleared two B.C. police officers of sex assault charges in Cuba.

Port Moody Police Department Const. Jordan Long and his friend, Vancouver Police Department Const. Mark Simms, were acquitted last week on allegations made earlier this year by a 17-year-old woman from Ontario. She and the men had vacationing separately in Varadero.

In a statement posted to Facebook Monday, the families of the two officers said they had come to the “painful realization that the nightmare is not yet over.”

“The impact of this false allegation has been incalculable and continues to drain our resources with every passing day,” the families said.

“We expect the very highest levels of the Government of Canada to take action and work collaboratively with Cuban authorities to expedite this process so that two innocent Canadian police officers, who risk their lives daily to serve the public, are rightfully able to return home without further delay.”

Long and Simms have been detained in Cuba since March.


@katslepian

katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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