A veteran Peel Regional Police officer convicted of more than 40 charges of fraud, breach of trust and obstructing justice in relation to a series of staged and bogus car crashes, has been dismissed from the force.

Const. Carlton Watson, 51, a 23-year veteran of the force, was ordered "dismissed immediately" at a July 7 disciplinary hearing after he was found guilty of misconduct (discreditable conduct) under the Police Services Act by Supt. Manny Rodrigues.

Watson didn't receive a severance package or a buyout and is no longer a police officer, Peel police spokesperson Sgt. Josh Colley confirmed.

Watson's lawyer, Susan von Achten, said the officer was "terminated" after being found guilty of the Police Services Act charge.

While Watson, a Mississauga resident, is out on bail pending the appeal of his criminal convictions and subsequent five-year jail sentence handed down last year in Brampton court, his dismissal from the police comes for his actions during a civil proceeding brought against him in connection with the insurance scam.

The hearing heard that a statement of claim was served on Watson in 2012 by RBC Insurance Group alleging that while he was on duty, he filed false reports and participated in a conspiracy to defraud the company through false insurance claims. Watson was served notice of the civil allegations personally but did not respond to defend himself. Accordingly, the allegations were deemed to be true and Watson was deemed to be "in default," court heard.

A financial judgment was issued against Watson ordering he pay more than $53,000 and RBC sought to establish what assets the officer had to pay, the hearing heard. Watson attended the court hearing but didn't bring the documents required of him and he walked out before the meeting finished. RBC tried to compel Watson to attend a second meeting in 2013 for the same purpose, but the officer didn't attend and was found to be in contempt of court. He served seven days in jail and didn't pay the judgment, forcing RBC to file a writ against Watson's personal property to secure payment of the judgment.

"He turned his back on the law (during the civil process)," Rodrigues said in his ruling.

Rodrigues went on to say that the decision of the court to jail Watson for contempt "speaks to the level of seriousness attributed to the circumstances" and added "the public interest is not served when a police officer, a regular participant in the judicial process, ignores the procedures and processes that he requires of others during the course of his/her employment."

David Migicovsky, lawyer for Police Chief Jennifer Evans, argued during the hearing that Watson's employment history has been less than stellar, having spent half of his policing career on suspension.

In finding Watson guilty last year and sentencing him to jail, Justice John Sproat heard Watson was paid in cash by two men, including a tow-truck driver and manager, to provide accident reports that passed off staged or bogus car crashes as legitimate ones, as part of a scam that bilked insurance companies out of more than $1 million.

Watson was found guilty of multiple counts of fraud, obstructing justice, uttering forged documents and breach of trust, in connection with the nine insurance claims dating back to 2010.

"Const. Watson was a public officer. The fraud was clearly in the course of his public duty, and he intended to commit fraud in the course of his public duty," Sproat said.

Watson had been on paid suspension for nearly five years after his arrest and was paid more than $500,000 in salary since he was charged, court heard. Following the jail sentence last summer, Peel police announced his status had been changed to suspension without pay, and his dismissal would be pursued.

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Also arrested in connection with the insurance scam is tow truck driver Wayne Isaacs, 50, of Brampton. He was charged with defrauding the public and his case is scheduled to go to trial in the fall.

Watson won $275,000 in the March 12, 2012, Daily Keno draw.