Ex-Mountie investigating ‘Surrey six’ murders pleads guilty to obstruction

VANCOUVER – A lead investigator in a gang-related mass murder in British Columbia has been handed a conditional sentence to be served in the community after he pleaded guilty to breach of trust and obstruction of justice.

Derek Brassington was sentenced to two years less a day and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution in B.C. Supreme Court on Friday, eliminating the need for a 10-week trial.

The indictment says Brassington breached the standard demanded of him in managing a witness and obstructed justice by compromising the integrity and safety of a witness.

The former RCMP sergeant played a key investigative role in the 2007 slaying of six people, including two innocent bystanders, in a Surrey highrise.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Arne Silverman imposed 14 conditions including house arrest from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. except for parenting, employment and medical reasons.

Silverman accepted joint sentencing submissions from special prosecutor Chris Considine and defence lawyer Ian Donaldson but a sweeping ban prevents the publication of any details.

Brassington was charged in 2011 and resigned from the force 2013.