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Ottawa police Const. Craig Fairbairn has only been on the job for five years, but in that time has earned a reputation as a rising star whose instincts make him a solid backup on the street, and on Wednesday, a judge ruled he was just as trusted a backup in the witness box.

In fact, Justice Timothy Ray said that if it wasn’t for Fairbairn’s testimony at a drug trial, there would have been “serious doubt” about the case.

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The judge noted that the arresting officer, Const. Nicolas Benard, has had trouble telling the truth.

“This case is troubling because I must weigh the evidence of a police officer who is not only a proven liar, but lied at the preliminary inquiry, and was unresponsive in evidence before me. I remind myself that Const. Benard is a professionally trained witness who, according to him, has given evidence on countless occasions, but whose evidence had all the hallmarks of either a liar, or someone who did not understand their obligations in the witness box,” the judge said.