Women's advocate criticizes courts, cops
Lynn Brooks outraged man charged with sex assault, forcible confinement was out on bail when charged with re-offending
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A prominent advocate for women is outraged that a man, charged in late March with sexual assault and forcible confinement, was out on bail when he was charged with the exact same offences against another woman last week.
Advocate Lynn Brooks says she is outraged that a man out on bail on sexual assault and forcible confinement charges has allegedly re-offended. She wants to know why Peter Tsetta was released when he has a history of violent offences. - John McFadden/NNSL photo |
Lynn Brooks said she cannot understand why Peter Tsetta, 48, was ever released from custody before trial.
"I think it's outrageous, absolutely outrageous that he got out in the first place," she said.
"This particular case is a travesty because if they had kept him in, this latest (alleged) victim would have been protected. I think they really fell down on the job."
On March 30, the RCMP issued a news release stating the police were looking for Tsetta on charges of sexual assault and forcible confinement.
In the news release, RCMP stated he posed no immediate threat to the public. He was apprehended later that day, then released on $500 bail on April 3 by Justice of the Peace Ruth McLean.
The reasons for her decision to release him cannot be published because of a publication ban.
He was charged again last week with holding a different woman against her will and sexually assaulting her as well as breaching his court conditions. RCMP have not said where and when the latest offences occurred but the alleged victim told Yellowknifer it took place at his residence in Ndilo on June 17.
Her name is protected by a publication ban.
She told Yellowknifer she was held for about six hours and was repeatedly beaten and sexually assaulted. The woman said she has known Tsetta for years.
Brooks said she is concerned with the handling of both with Tsetta's release and the Mounties' statement that he posed no risk to public safety. She also expressed concern that a justice of the peace made the decision to grant bail.
"If it's shoplifting or something with no violence, then a justice of the peace can make that decision," she said. "But for this case, I would have much preferred for it to have been a judge."
Brooks said she would also like to see statistics from RCMP that prove or disprove that they take crimes committed on indigenous people as seriously as they take crimes committed against non-indigenous people. Tsetta's most recent alleged victim is indigenous.
"What are the attitudes within the RCMP?" asked Brooks. "We know that there have been a lot of complaints from aboriginal women about mistreatment (by police) and I don't think they are always taken as seriously as they should be. We need to start asking those questions and asking for stats on those issues. They often don't keep stats on those things so it's very hard to pin it down."
In an e-mail to Yellowknifer, Department of Justice spokesperson Richard Robertson stated the department can't comment on a case that is before the courts but did explain bail hearings are normally heard in Justice of the Peace court.
"Seriousness of the charges is not a factor other than ... murder," he stated,
adding bail hearings for murder charges are heard in Supreme Court.
Yellowknifer also reached out to RCMP for a response to questions about Tsetta but no response was received as of press time.
