Trials set for Thunder Bay police officer charged with assault, breach of trust

A suspended officer with the Thunder Bay Police Service is scheduled to go to trial for two counts of assault and one count of breach of trust in three separate trials set for 2025. 

Staff Sgt. Michael Dimini was scheduled for three different trials in February 2025, April/May 2025 and May/June 2025 after a brief hearing at the Thunder Bay, Ont. courthouse on Thursday morning. Each of the matters will be heard by different out-of-town judges. 

Dimini was not present at the courthouse but his lawyers appeared on his behalf via video link. 

He will go to trial for the following charges: 

• 2 charges of assault related to alleged 2 different incidents in August 2014 and October 2016.
• 1 charge of breach of trust in connection with his duties as a police officer in November 2020. 

He was originally charged with the three offences above in December 2023 following an OPP investigation, plus one obstruction of justice charge for attempting to pervert justice in a judicial proceeding by making a false statement.

None of the charges against Dimini have yet been tested or proven in court and he has pleaded not guilty. 

Assault and breach of trust are both hybrid offences, which means the Crown can decide whether to proceed by either summary conviction or indictment.

The Crown has elected to proceed by indictment. Indictable offences are more serious and have greater penalties. Both offences for which Dimini is facing charges have a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison when prosecuted by indictment, according to the Criminal Code. 

Dimini is currently suspended with pay. He was released from custody on the conditions he not possess any weapons or firearms and refrain from contacting 85 different people. 

He is one of three people with ties to the Thunder Bay Police Service currently facing criminal charges stemming from an OPP investigation that began in 2021. In April, former police chief Sylvie Hauth and ex-Thunder Bay police lawyer Holly Walbourne were charged with multiple obstruction and breach of trust offences. 

Both Hauth and Walbourne are scheduled to be back in court this June.