A Halifax woman is suing the Nova Scotia government for slander for stories a government employee spread about her.

Laura Doucette was enrolled in the Correctional Worker and Policing Foundations Program at Success College when she applied for a firearms licence.

In August 2012, Doucette was contacted by David Grimes, a firearms investigator for the provincial Department of Justice. In the course of reviewing Doucette's application, Grimes came across information that she had been working at a Tim Hortons when it was struck by two masked, armed robbers.

"I was held with a gun to my head and put on the floor," she described in court on Monday.

Experience has been 'just horrible'

In early September 2012, Grimes went to Success College and met with two of Doucette's instructors. Grimes told them he was investigating Doucette's background. He said he'd found her account of the Tim Hortons robbery suspicious and said she was probably a suspect in the crime.

Grimes also told college employees that Doucette had a poor employment record and had been fired from several previous jobs. According to Doucette's court documents, Grimes never explained the source of his allegations.

"He's making that up," she told the hearing. "To say that I was an armed robber is just horrible."

Grimes also told the Success College employees that Doucette had a criminal discharge in relation to a minor domestic dispute.

Doucette explained on the opening day of her hearing Monday that the discharge came as a result of a fight with her ex-husband and that she has no criminal record.

On Sept. 18, 2012, Grimes phoned Doucette to tell her she'd been denied her firearms application. He cited her discharge as the reason for his decision.

Grimes also contacted Doucette's supervisors at Dalhousie University's Security Services and shared his theory about her participating in the armed robbery. As a result, the university terminated her job placement.

'Basically destroyed my life'

Success College also kicked Doucette out of the program as a result of Grimes's intervention. The college reinstated Doucette after receiving a letter from her lawyer — however, her graduation was delayed for months.

"This has basically destroyed my life," Doucette told the court.

For now, Doucette has given up on her dream of working in the policing field and is a personal health care worker. She said she is afraid to have any dealings with the justice system.

"I don't need the Justice Department to continue to make things up," she said.

This case has dragged on for more than two years. Just last month, the province filed an amended defence in this case.

"This party admits liability for the torts of defamation and breach of privacy, which are torts upon which the statement of claim is based," the new defence statement reads.

Given that admission, the week-long hearing is focussed on the damages Doucette is entitled to.

While she says she has never received an explanation from Grimes for the stories he told, Doucette will get to hear him testify later this week.