The Crown has withdrawn charges against two former Toronto police officers, one the son of a former chief, saying there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.

The case hinged on wiretap evidence against William McCormack Jr. and Rick McIntosh that would have almost certainly been excluded by a challenge under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Crown attorney Alex Hrybinsky said Tuesday in court.

McCormack had faced firearms-related charges, while McIntosh had faced charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

According to the Toronto Star, obstruction and conspiracy charges were also withdrawn against Christopher Grebka, a civilian who did not attend court Tuesday.

"On the first day this matter was in court, we indicated that there were problems with this wiretap, that the court has been misled," Peter Brauti, McIntosh's lawyer, said outside court.

Authorization for the wiretap in 2003 had been granted based on information given to a police agent. But police claimed the person was an informant, which protects their identity.

Brauti wants the Toronto Police Service to order an investigation into how this happened.

Mike McCormack -- also a son of former chief William McCormack and current president of the Toronto Police Association -- said his brother is relieved to see the charges withdrawn.

"It's been very stressful on the family, but we're a strong family, and we got through this," he told CTV Toronto.

The story began about six years ago when William McCormack, McIntosh and other officers were charged with corruption-related offences for allegedly shaking down Clubland bar owners.

A 2003 probe had found that some bars, whose owners had paid bribes, faced fewer charges for liquor licence offences.

McCormack's lawyer had said his client had borrowed money from club owners, but that such an act didn't constitute a crime.

McIntosh's lawyer said his client had been on a leave of absence when he agreed to help a downtown bar obtain a liquor licence.

In any event, a judge stayed the corruption-related charges in late 2009 because of the lengthy delays in bringing the matter to trial.

With a report from CTV Toronto's John Musselman