In their complaint, the aunts, Jean Bailey and June Jarrold, detailed the gathering that took place at a bar in Windsor between Meehan, Gorman an articling student and the police officer assisting the Crown in the case. That night, they openly discussed the case, and it became apparent to the student that the judge and Crown were close friends.

This took place before the trial was finished, as sentencing had not happened.

“In our view this ‘close relationship’ between the prosecutor and judge gives us just cause to see the system and trial as unfair,” said the complaint, which was sent to the Canadian Judicial Council, Law Society of Upper Canada and the Ministry of the Attorney General.

“This affects the proper functioning of the judicial system. Mr. Meehan admits to joking with Judge Gorman about the trial, but we did not see anything funny about the trial.”

The allegations arose after the student reported the incident to the Windsor Crown’s office. The articling student said that it was obvious that Meehan and Gorman were “long-time friends”, according to the complaint.

The student also noted that Gorman said on multiple occasions that she was worried the criminal defence lawyer in the case, Patrick Ducharme would walk into the bar and discover them together.