Convicted sex offender Bertrand Charest seeks release from prison pending appeal
Lawyers for Bertrand Charest appeared before Quebec's top court today in a bid to release the convicted sex offender pending an appeal of his conviction on some of the 37 charges on which he was found guilty.
The former national ski coach was sentenced to 12 years in prison in a Saint-Jérôme court last week for sexually assaulting teenage skiers he coached in the 1990s.
Lawyer Louis-Nicolas Coupal told Court of Appeal Justice Martin Vauclair that there are serious motives to appeal his client's conviction on some of the charges, including one count of sexual assault causing bodily harm.
In that instance, Charest was found guilty of having had unprotected sex with a 15-year-old and then taking her for an abortion after learning she was pregnant.
"Are you saying there's no evidence beyond a reasonable doubt of a link between the pregnancy and the sexual relations with your client?" asked Vauclair.
"Exactly," replied Coupal.
Charest offers guarantees
Charest's legal team says the 52-year-old poses a low risk of reoffending and is willing to offer guarantees that he will abide by strict conditions in order to keep the public's faith in the justice system.
Among the conditions Charest is offering to meet are:
- a $50,000 deposit in cash.
- another $50,000 guarantee that he will abide by his conditions.
- he will check in on a regular basis with provincial police.
- not to go near any parks or schools.
- not to offer any ski coaching.
Lawyer Antonio Cabral also said Charest would reside at his home in Mont-Tremblant, where he proposes to have shared custody of his children.
Faith in justice system at stake, says Crown
Prosecutor Maxime Lacoursière says it is the public's faith in the justice system that is at stake if Charest were to be released.
He says his request to be released is not like any other bail hearing.
"We're not at the beginning of the procedures," said Lacoursière. "Mr. Charest has been found guilty, so he's lost the benefit of being presumed innocent."
Lacoursière also noted the stiff sentence Charest received and the seriousness of his crimes as other reasons why he should not be released.
"Basically nothing has changed since the first bail hearing except in the worst way for Mr. Charest. He still does not recognize what the victims have suffered," said Lacoursière.
Vauclair took the matter under advisement and promised a quick ruling on whether to release Charest. He said it could come as early as this afternoon or tomorrow.
