Prof apologizes for complaint against B.C. judge hearing sexual assault case

“I wish to offer my full and unreserved apology to Justice Leask. I regret both the issuing of the complaint and the public comments I made at the time.”

At the time, Perrin said he was concerned about public confidence in the administration of justice.

He declined comment on Tuesday.

A transcript of Leask’s comments were released by the court after the complaint was filed. It shows the judge was discussing scheduling issues with lawyers at the trial and whether the case would require the court to hear evidence over the course of two weeks.

“Full disclosure. I live in Vancouver,” he says in the transcript. “I come here because it’s my duty. Kamloops is a wonderful place, but I like sleeping in my own bed. So, going home early this week anyway, so I’m due to come back here next week anyway, so to do the second half of this case, not a big problem.”

Leask goes on to say he thinks British Columbia is nine judges short of a full complement.

“I do have this general concern. I don’t know how it has impacted on Kamloops, but the Supreme Court of British Columbia is at the moment very short handed,” he said.

Charges in the case were stayed by the Crown. A spokesman for the B.C. Criminal Justice Branch has said the Crown’s decision was not influenced by any comments made by the court in the course of scheduling discussions by the judge.

Attorney General Suzanne Anton said at the time the remarks attributed to Leask were “ill-considered” but they did not impact the outcome of the case. No one from the Attorney General’s Ministry was available to comment on Tuesday.

The Canadian Judicial Council is a federal body that reviews complaints or allegations against superior court judges. It is chaired by the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and consists of 38 other council members who are chief justices and associate chief justices of the country’s superior courts.

— Follow @CamilleBains1 on Twitter.

Camille Bains, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Prof apologizes for complaint against B.C. judge hearing sexual assault case

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