Sexual assault : Bertrand Charest will not be home for Christmas

DELPHINE BERGERON / QMI AGENCY

Michael Nguyen

Monday, 18 December 2017 16:59

UPDATE
Monday, 18 December, 2017 17:01

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The ex-ski coach Bertrand Charest will not spend Christmas with him and will have to wait to be heard on appeal for sexual assaults on nine young skiers, just to settle the Court of appeal.

“I believe that [Bertrand Charest] was not demonstrated, at this stage, that it can be set free “, ruled the judge Martin Vauclair Monday.

Charest, 52, was found guilty last June to 37 charges of sex crimes against young girls, in the 90’s.

At the time, it led to the elite athletes in alpine skiing. But he had taken advantage of its proximity to the minor under his / her responsibility for the assault.

Charest had had sexual contact with some racers, but he also had a relationship complete with four of them. One of the athletes even had to have an abortion when she was only 15 years old.

“He has broken their trust to satisfy his sexual urges “, had been recalled by Maxime Lacoursière of the Crown at the hearing on release.

The prosecutor had also pointed out that Charest had passed all the procedures in preventive detention. The Quebec Court had refused to grant him bail, as the superior Court of Quebec.

Now that Charest no longer has the presumption of innocence, the judge of the highest court of the province has concluded that Charest had to remain detained.

“[Charest], in contrast to those who are accused of one serious crime […], has been found guilty in respect of the [nine] victims, ” he said.

If it had been released on bail, Charest would have gone to live at his chalet in Mont-Tremblant, after having paid a deposit totalling $100,000.

No hearing date for the appeal hearing has not yet been set.