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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
All charges against former Inuvik school teacher Hugues Latour have either been stayed by the Crown, or are expected to be stayed in the near future.

Hugues Latour: Was cleared of all charges in Supreme Court Aug. 30. - NNSL file photo

On Aug. 30, Crown prosecutor Marc Lecorre requested the Supreme Court stay all charges related to sexual touching of a minor, invitation to sexual touching of a minor, possession and making of child pornography, and trafficking marijuana.

"In light of the public interest on these matters," Lecorre offered the court an explanation as to why the Crown will no longer pursue these charges.

On the day of jury selection, Aug. 12, two new pieces of information were revealed to the Crown, said Lecorre. One was disclosed to him by defence lawyer Serge Petitpas that morning. The other was disclosed by one of the Crown witnesses during that day's lunch break.

While he would not comment on the specific nature of the new information, Lecorre said the revelations were significant enough for him to conclude there was no reasonable hope for conviction.

The Crown has a duty to consider the credibility of witnesses and the strength of possible defences, which he said were both impacted.

This new information caused the Crown to conclude there is "no reasonable prospect of conviction of any of Latour's charges," Lecorre told the court.

In May 2012, Latour was found guilty of assault, forcible entry and failing to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, a conviction that was later overturned on the grounds the trial was not conducted in French.

Although the court had ordered a new trial be held on these matters, Lecorre told News/North on Aug. 30 the Crown has no intention of pursuing these charges further, and will make an out-of-court request to stay those charges.

"I don't anticipate that the Crown will be proceeding with a new trial," he said.

This isn't the first time Latour has avoided conviction for criminal charges. On Dec. 9, 2010, he was charged with parental abduction – that charge was stayed on Dec. 18, 2012.

Latour was also charged with assault, forcible confinement and failure to comply with court orders on Aug. 1, 2011. Those charges were withdrawn on Jan. 31, 2012, with the assault and forcible confinement charges being dismissed May 10, 2012, stated court documents last week.

An order was also made to return items seized from Latour during the criminal investigation, including electronic items that contained sensitive pictures related to the case.

"The electronic items will be wiped of data," said Lecorre. "Those pictures will certainly not be returned."

Before granting the order, Supreme Court Justice Louise Charbonneau asked Lecorre for clarification on whether there was any intention to continue with pursuing any charges against Latour in the future, as normally a stay in proceedings does not conclude a matter.

Lecorre answered no.

The issue of whether any exhibits presented to the court should be destroyed is outstanding, and is scheduled to be decided on Sept. 30.

Court considers matter closed

Also, all outstanding bail conditions against Latour were lifted.

"Any bail conditions that were enforced up until now are no longer enforced because this matter is now concluded as far as the court is concerned," said Charbonneau.

The Crown is duty-bound not to prosecute anyone unnecessarily, Lecorre told News/North.

"The Crown doesn't want anybody to be found guilty when they reasonably shouldn't be," he said.

Latour was not present in court on Aug. 30, and in his absence proceedings were conducted in English.

Charbonneau also promised to file written reasons why, in the week before the jury selection, she denied the defence's attempt to have the matter thrown out because of excessive delay.

Latour became a resident of Inuvik in 2007 and taught Grades 5 and 6 at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School. He also worked as Samuel Hearne Secondary School's French Immersion teacher. He has not worked at either school since the winter of 2010.

– with files from Daniel Campbell

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