Charest could be heard quickly

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Bertrand Charest, Sentenced

Michael Nguyen

Tuesday, 6 February 2018 22:24

UPDATE
Tuesday, 6 February 2018 22:24

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The ex-ski coach Bertrand Charest sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexual assaults on young women could be heard at the appeal more quickly than anticipated.

In a brief decision delivered a few days ago, the Quebec Court of appeal has in effect shortened the deadlines for lawyers to file all the necessary documentation to the cause.

Rather than the 60 days usual, each party will have 30 days to file their respective facta, ruled the highest court of the province.

Charest, 52 years old, still has hope of being acquitted, or at the very least to see his sentence reduced to half, for offences committed in the 90’s.

It led to the national team junior women’s and Laurentian, alpine skiing, when he is taken to the young athletes from 12 to 18 years of age. He has had intercourse with four of them, and one, aged 15, had to have an abortion.

Errors of law

The trial judge had described as ” a true predator, weaving carefully to his canvas “. Except that according to Charest, the judge of first instance committed several errors of law both on the verdict and on the sentence. His lawyer Antonio Cabral has successively challenged the two decisions.

Rather than hearing the two queries one after the other, the Court of appeal of Quebec has chosen to join the two files, can we read in the most recent decision.

And for the case to be heard quickly, the court gave Charest until 5 march to file its brief. The Crown, thereafter, will have to do the same before 5 April.

“[The court] sets the duration of the hearing on the sentence for a maximum time of 60 minutes, ” wrote judge Mark Schrager.

The date of the hearing has not yet been set.