A Banff RCMP officer has avoided a criminal record by pleading guilty to mischief for unlawfully entering a hotel room occupied by two women. Garret Claxton, an RCMP constable, was granted an absolute discharge by Justice Sara Bagg at the Canmore Court of Justice. Claxton expressed deep regret in court for causing distress to the women. Justice Bagg noted that the incident appeared to be an isolated one and commended Claxton for showing signs of improvement.
According to Crown prosecutor Euan Gilmour, the events unfolded one late October evening in 2022 when Claxton engaged with one of the women on the Tinder dating app. They later met at two Banff bars before heading back to the women’s hotel to use the facilities. Claxton returned to the hotel around 5 a.m. the following morning after consuming alcohol. Despite being intoxicated, he was allowed into the room by the night manager, disturbing the women before eventually leaving.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) charged Claxton with breaking and entering in 2024. ASIRT investigates incidents involving police officers in cases of serious injury, death, or alleged misconduct. A victim impact statement revealed that one of the women now experiences panic attacks, insomnia, anxiety, and night terrors, leading to heightened caution around others.
Claxton’s lawyer, Balfour Der, informed the court that Claxton was on medical leave at the time and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Claxton attributed his alcohol use to two homicides in Banff in 2022. Following the charges, he underwent addiction treatment in Nanaimo, B.C., for two months and engaged in Alcoholics Anonymous and Soberlink monitoring. Claxton has since become a mentor and speaker for individuals battling addiction. Currently suspended from duty with pay, he aspires to return to a non-frontline policing position following a code of conduct hearing from the RCMP.
