A Fort St. John veterinarian will not have to register as a sexual offender after pleading guilty to sexual assualt.
Fort St. John RCMP announced charges against Justin Sewell in 2022. Sewell pled guilty to one count of sexual assault and two counts of voyeurism in November of the same year.
Judge David Simpkin sentenced Sewell to house arrest for two years less a day, in connection to a 2007 sexual assault in Charlie Lake. The prosecution was looking for a 4.5-year sentence, that would have sent Sewell to federal prison.
Simpkin ruled that Sewell’s sentences all be served concurrently and avoided sending Sewell to jail. The judge also allowed the veterinarian to keep going to work at the Rivers Animal Hospital on a daily basis.
In April, there was strong online reaction to Simpkin’s sentence. Many said the sentence was ‘a slap on the wrist’ and was much too light for such a serious offence.
As part of his sentence, Sewell must provide a DNA sample, but at the time the judge didn’t manage to rule whether he must register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Sewell allegedly sexually assaulted the victim and secretly observed/recorded nudity or sexual activity in a private place.
At the beginning of April, the BC Prosecution Service told CJDC TV News it was carefully reviewing the court’s decision. The prosecution has since filed an appeal of Sewell’s sentence.
On July 14, the appeal hearing will take place before a panel of the BC Court of Appeal. There is a possibility the panel will reserve their decision and issue written reasons at a future date.