Former SQ Spokesperson Claude Doiron Goes on Trial in Percé for Sexual Offences Against Minor
The former Sûreté du Québec spokesperson for Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent, Claude Doiron, is on trial in Percé facing three charges including sexual assault on a person under 14, stemming from alleged incidents in 1988.
Former SQ Spokesperson Claude Doiron Goes on Trial in Percé for Sexual Offences Against Minor
A man who spent more than a decade as the public face of Quebec's provincial police in eastern regions is now defending himself against serious allegations of sexual misconduct involving a child. Claude Doiron, once the spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec in Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent, appeared Monday at the Percé courthouse for the opening of his trial.
The 60-year-old faces three separate criminal counts: sexual assault, sexual touching, and incitement to sexual touching involving a person under 14 years of age. The alleged acts reportedly took place between May 1 and September 30, 1988, in the municipality of Cloridorme, according to Crown prosecutors. At that time, Doiron would have been approximately 25 years old and had not yet joined any police force.
The case originated from an internal investigation conducted by the SQ's internal affairs division. Doiron was taken into custody in 2023 — 35 years after the purported events. The provincial police service immediately placed him on half-pay suspension just days before his planned retirement.
From 2012 onward, Doiron had served as the media liaison for the SQ in the Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent territories, regularly addressing journalists on behalf of the force. His arrest came as a shock to the communities where he had built a public profile over many years.
The legal process has stretched across three years. A preliminary inquiry was held in April 2024, during which the alleged victim was the sole witness called. Subsequent pre-trial motions were heard behind closed doors in autumn 2025, with the court issuing a publication ban on those proceedings. Throughout this period, Doiron has remained free on release.
Justice Pierre Lortie of the Quebec Court is presiding over the trial, which is proceeding without a jury. Crown prosecutor Louis-Philippe Desjardins indicated that two witnesses will be called to testify. The hearing is expected to last approximately two weeks.
Source: TVA - CIMT-CHAU
Source: Google News CA — Québec (FR)