Const. Timothy Barnhardt, a central figure in a lengthy corruption investigation, was once again refused bail in Toronto on Wednesday. Despite efforts by his legal team to challenge the initial denial of bail soon after his arrest in February, Justice Peter Bawden upheld the decision and rejected the application. The specifics of the judge’s rationale and particulars from the bail review session are shielded by a standard publication ban to safeguard Barnhardt’s right to a fair trial.
At 56 years old, Barnhardt faces a total of 17 charges, the highest among the eight individuals, including seven Toronto police officers and one retired officer, apprehended in connection with Project South, an inquiry by the York Regional Police. Barnhardt’s attorney, Jason Dos Santos, expressed disappointment outside the courthouse, remarking on their unsuccessful efforts to secure his release and hinting at a reassessment of their strategy moving forward.
The allegations against Barnhardt involve offenses such as trafficking police attire, aiding illicit cannabis dispensaries by accepting kickbacks in exchange for shielding them from police scrutiny, and divulging confidential details to criminals, which authorities claim contributed to targeted shootings. The comprehensive investigation, initiated last June following the discovery of an alleged plot to harm a senior corrections officer at the Toronto South Detention Centre by York police, has led to charges against 20 civilians in addition to the law enforcement personnel implicated.
None of the accusations against Barnhardt and the other suspects linked to Project South have been subjected to legal scrutiny yet. Investigators allege that Barnhardt accessed confidential data about the senior corrections officer and shared it with Brian Da Costa, a civilian implicated in the case, who supposedly disseminated it to others involved in the plot. Da Costa, an alleged drug trafficker, was recently granted a bail of $1.5 million and placed under house arrest, with the prosecution seeking a review of this decision in the Superior Court.
Currently, Barnhardt and five other officers involved in Project South are on unpaid suspension, as confirmed by a police spokesperson.