The case of a former Fort Frances educator charged with child luring will be heard again in Fort Frances Court on Sept. 10 following a judicial pre-trial conference in August.
Former Robert Moore Elementary School principal Shane Beckett’s case was called before the Justice of the Peace’s Case Management Court on Thursday morning. Beckett’s lawyer, Sebastian G. Joseph of Petrone and Partners of Thunder Bay, noted that the crown prosecutor on the case has changed as the previous crown, Matthew Caputo, has been made a judge.
Joseph did note that little time has been lost due to this change; a council pre-trial was held earlier this week, and a judicial pre-trial (JPT) hearing, to be held in private, is set for Aug. 17.
According to Ontariocourts.ca, a JPT is: “….A meeting between the accused and their lawyer, the Crown and a judge. The purpose of the JPT is to sort out issues before the trial or, if possible, resolve the case without a trial, which might involve a withdrawal of the charge(s), diversion, or a guilty plea. Unless the case can be resolved, at the conclusion of the JPT a date will usually be set for a guilty plea, preliminary inquiry or trial.”
In scheduling the next appearance, Joseph noted that following the JPT, he expects his client to choose between a contested sentencing or a trial.
If Beckett should elect to take a plea at the JPT the matter would proceed to the sentencing phase where counsel and the Crown would make their submissions on sentencing.
According to Legal Aid Ontario: “At some sentencing hearings, the Crown and the offender’s lawyer (or duty counsel) will agree on the type of sentence that the judge should give. At other hearings, the Crown and the offender’s lawyer (or duty counsel) will argue for different sentences. It is important to remember that the judge, not the lawyers, always makes the final decision on what the sentence will be.”
The matter will be called again on Sept. 10 with the expectation of setting a date for that next step following the JPT.
Beckett is alleged to have communicated online with a person whom he believed was under 16 for the purposes of facilitating the commission of a sexual offence between Feb. 9 and 13 this year, an offence known as child luring.
None of the allegations have been proven in court and a court-ordered publication ban has been imposed that prohibits the release of any information that could identify any alleged victims in the case.
Beckett, 53, a former school sports coach and prominent local citizen, was arrested on Feb. 17 at his home, where police executed a warrant and electronic devices were seized. He was charged the next day with two counts of child luring.
The law applies when the accused is trying to persuade, invite, or encourage a person under 18 (or someone they believe is under 18) into illegal sexual activity. Courts look at the content and direction of the communication to determine intent, and the offence is complete even if the “child” is actually an undercover officer or other person.
Penalties include mandatory jail time, sex offender registration and restrictions on future contact with minors or internet use.
Community members have said that videos circulating privately on social media and messaging apps are being linked by some residents to the ongoing case.
The Times has reviewed the claims but cannot verify the authenticity, origin or connection of the videos to the accused. None of the material has been confirmed by police, and no law enforcement agency has issued any statement acknowledging the existence of such videos.
The publication ban covers any evidence or information that could identify any witnesses or victims. As a result, details of the investigation and any seized digital material cannot legally be disclosed.
Police have not commented on the circulating videos or their relevance, if any, to the case. Officials have previously urged the public to avoid sharing unverified or potentially harmful content online.
The Times will continue to monitor developments and will provide updates as legally permissible.
