By The Canadian Press

Case stayed against former Alberta teacher accused of sexual offences

Feb 5, 2020 | 2:34 PM

EDMONTON – An Alberta judge has issued a stay in a case of a former teacher accused of sexual offences against a student, ruling that prosecutors breached his right to a timely trial.

Edmonton-area teacher Graeme Patrick Forsyth was charged in July 2017 with sexual interference, sexual exploitation, invitation to sexual touching and sexual assault.

A Supreme Court ruling in 2016, often referred to as the Jordan decision, established that trials must be heard no later than 30 months after charges are laid in cases before a superior court.

In a decision released yesterday, Justice Doreen Sulyma said the anticipated delay to the end of Forsyth’s trial is more than 31 months.

She says the Crown’s handling of the case has led to a violation of Forsyth’s charter rights.

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Forsyth’s trial was initially scheduled for September 2018, but was delayed until later this month.

The court granted the adjournment because Forsyth’s defence received a large amount of evidence from the Crown on the eve of trial.