The Crown sought to qualify a police detective as an expert witness on outlaw motorcycle gangs, specifically the Hells Angels and Red Devils, in a trial where the accused allegedly attempted to forcibly remove a victim's gang-related tattoo.
The defence opposed the qualification, arguing the evidence was unnecessary, unreliable, and the officer lacked proper qualifications.
The court applied the Mohan criteria and found the officer was properly qualified based on her extensive experience.
The court ruled her evidence on gang structure and culture was necessary, but excluded her proposed testimony interpreting text messages and her evidence on tattoo removal practices that relied on inherently suspect hearsay.
