Charges dropped against Rev. James Beaton of Norris Arm

The RNC needs an investigation into its investigative techniques. For the second time in a week, the Crown Prosecutor has been forced to abandon charges against a man charged with sexual assault because of “no reasonable likelihood of a conviction”. Over a year ago, Rev. James Beaton of Norris Arm, was charged with sexual assault and sexual exploitation. Both charges have now been dropped. Seems that someone within the RNC needs to take a long hard look at how the police force investigates sexual assault charges. Earlier this week, the same thing happened to Rick Babstock. It speaks of sloppy investigation or a rush to lay charges – or both. Both of these men have had their reputations ruined, their standing in their respective communities damaged beyond belief and I’m sure they both have gone through living hell. This calls for more than a simple apology, as if one were to suddenly appear; instead, they need to be compensated well for their grief and the police force has to take a serious look at how it does its job. At the moment, it’s not getting a passing grade.