Veteran officer going to jail for nine months

 BY KEITH LACEY

Calling a Greater Sudbury police sergeant’s abilities on the job impressive and beyond reproach, a judge said the man was a “brute” behind closed doors who terrorized his ex-wife with physical, verbal and psychological assaults.

Justice Frank Caputo sentenced Sgt. Robin Chuipka, a 20-year police veteran, to nine months behind bars Tuesday after finding him guilty of three counts of assault and one count of assault causing bodily harm last month.

Caputo ordered Chuipka to seek counselling for psychological problems he believes make him a high risk to re-offend.

A publication ban was ordered when Chuipka was arrested in September 2004 prohibiting the publication of any evidence that could reveal the identity of the complainant in the case.

Prosecuting attorney Thom Fitzgerald, the regional director of Crown attorneys, asked the ban be lifted after Chuipka was escorted from the courtroom to begin serving his sentence.

Chuipka’s victim is his former wife, Donna, 43.

She testified Chuipka became abusive early in their relationship, but she loved him and thought he would change. Near the end, she feared for her life and hid his service revolver. She told the court she carried a knife under her bed out of fear of another beating.

Donna Chuipka was in tears after Caputo imposed the sentence.

She wants to speak about what she’s been through in an attempt to help other victims of domestic abuse and will be meeting with the media early next week.

Defence counsel Terry Waltenbury had asked the court to impose a conditional sentence of an extended period of house arrest with strict conditions, noting Chuipka’s long and exemplary record as a police officer.

Chuipka’s record as an officer has included risking his life more than once to save people inside a burning building and convincing a suicidal man from taking his own life, said Waltenbury.

Fitzgerald said while no one will argue Chuipka was a dedicated, decorated and highly-respected officer, when he returned home at night, “he became a monster,” and took out all his frustrations in life on his former wife.

“Behind closed doors, he turned from Dr. Jekyl to Mr. Hyde,” said Fitzgerald.

In his ruling, Caputo adopted almost all of Fitzgerald’s arguments saying the abuse in this case was constant, severe and always unprovoked.

“There was also serious verbal abuse throughout their involvement,” he said.

The fact Chuipka was the victim of continual physical and verbal abuse from his father during his childhood, as well as his mother,’s death when he was  16, was considered by the court , but so was the fact he had not sought counselling to deal with many issues, said Caputo.

A pre-sentence report clearly indicates Chuipka has “a remarkable lack of insight into what he’s done,” to his former wife. The report said he maintains he’s innocent and was a victim of constant physical and verbal abuse by his former wife, said Caputo.

The fact Chuipka was such an outstanding police officer has to be balanced by the fact police officers are sworn to uphold the law and will face severe sanctions when engaged in serious criminal misconduct on or off the job, the judge said.

The public would be outraged if he imposed a conditional sentence in this case, he said.

Chuipka had told his former wife she wouldn’t be believed if she reported abuse to police, tried to destroy evidence, and abused his position on the police service, Caputo said.

“To grant a conditional sentence in this case would be sending a message to police and the community that this conduct is not serious...it would bring the administration of justice into disrepute,” he said.

During 18 months of probation after his sentence expires, Chuipka is prohibited from purchasing or drinking alcohol, he’s to seek counselling for domestic abuse and have no communication with his former wife.

Waltenbury said he would carefully look at Caputo’s decision and all evidence from the case before deciding whether or not to launch an appeal over the next few weeks.

Because Chuipka, who has been on salary since being suspended after being charged, is a police officer, he’s not expected to serve his sentence in Sudbury.

Chiupka still faces numerous Police Service Act charges and is expected to lose his job.