A man described as a rising star in the RCMP endured the most shameful moment of his life Thursday as he stood alone in B.C. Supreme Court and received a six-month conditional jail sentence.
Gregory Edward Doncaster, 37, pleaded guilty to fabricating evidence to obstruct the course of justice by having fellow RCMP officer Dereck Carter take a paternity test for him on July 19, 2013.
“It is a tragic case and my client would do anything in the world to turn back time,” said defence lawyer Richard Neary.
“He’ll never be able to express the full scope of his shame and remorse.”
Justice Robert Johnston heard that in April 2009, Doncaster had an extramarital affair. The woman became pregnant and told Doncaster about it in November.
Doncaster told her he was in a committed relationship and did not want to risk losing his wife. The woman agreed to raise the child without involving Doncaster. Their daughter was born in July 2010.
Two years later, the woman lost her job and applied for social assistance. In May 2013, the ministry took steps to recover child support from Doncaster. He told the ministry he was not sure he was the child’s father. He also said if his wife learned of the paternity allegations, his marriage would be threatened.
The ministry paid $375 for a paternity test. Doncaster made — but did not keep — two appointments at the clinic. In July 2013, Doncaster spoke with Carter and asked him to take the test for him. The two had worked together in the regional crime unit. Carter considered Doncaster a friend and a mentor.
“Mr. Carter agreed, motivated by his respect for Mr. Doncaster and by his concern that Mr. Doncaster’s marriage might be destroyed if the paternity allegation was proved,” Johnston said.
On July 19, Doncaster drove Carter to a medical clinic.
“Unfortunately for Mr. Doncaster, part of the process involved taking a photograph of the person submitting the sample,” Johnston said.
In September, when the paternity test came back negative, the woman questioned the result. The ministry showed her the photograph of the person who took the test. “That’s not Mr. Doncaster,” she said.
Doncaster resigned from the RCMP and now works as a landscaper.
The offence strikes at the very heart of the justice system and this criminal conduct needs to be denounced in very clear terms, Johnston said.
The judge noted that Doncaster had made retroactive and ongoing child support to the woman and repaid $375 to the ministry for the paternity test. He has taken full responsibility and acknowledged the harm his actions caused.
Johnston did not agree with the Crown that Doncaster’s actions in persuading Carter were an aggravating circumstance.
“I am going to assume that Const. Carter was an adult of ordinary intelligence, ordinary fortitude and ordinary willpower and he knew right from wrong when he agreed to participate,” Johnston said.
Letters of support from colleagues, friends and family offer a possible explanation for Doncaster’s behaviour, Johnston said. At the time of the offence, Doncaster was dealing with the loss of his father and his stepfather. His wife had been ill with the birth of their second child.
The stress of the paternity allegations and the risk they posed to Doncaster’s family on top of his grief caused him to stop thinking clearly.
“As an explanation, it makes sense. But it doesn’t excuse it,” Johnston said.
Carter is expected to appear in B.C. Supreme Court on Aug. 12.
