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The Quebec police ethics commission has handed down a 65-day unpaid suspension to a Montreal police officer after he unlawfully arrested, pepper sprayed, detained and laid unjustified charges against a civilian.

The report on officer James Joseph’s actions was released by the Comité de déontologie policière on Aug. 26. Louise Rivard, who presided over the case, described Joseph’s misconduct while in the line of duty as “reprehensible”.

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Joseph, who joined the force in 2004, filed false charges and lied, according to the commission’s account of events.

The case dates back to November 2009 when Vasilios Kyritsis and two friends stopped at a La Belle Province restaurant on Décarie Blvd. after a night out in Montreal’s Old Port. Kyritsis had two shots of alcohol and a bottle of water during the evening. He was driving that night.

The three friends left the restaurant to withdraw money from an ATM in order to buy food. Kyritsis told police officers Joseph and Pierre Hawey, who were parked in a squad car on the same lot, that they should not be issuing tickets on private property. Joseph ordered Kyritsis to go home, telling him to “get lost.”

This situation escalated quickly after Joseph and Hawey exited the car and blocked the entrance to the restaurant. Joseph pepper sprayed and arrested Kyritsis without warning after he told Kyritsis “you are not going anywhere.”