Former teacher at Legacy Christian Academy enters guilty plea

Aaron Travis Benneweis appeared by telephone in a Saskatoon courtroom Thursday from Edmonton and pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor.

He served as Legacy Christian Academy’s athletics director from 2008-2012. Jennifer Beaudry filed the charges against her former teacher.

“I was never sure we’d get to the day where we’d hear those words. Today was the first time I heard Aaron’s voice in just over a decade, and it was very satisfying to experience an even playing field,” she said.

“It’s exciting for me to see him have to step up to the plate and say what has happened and what he’s done and the demons that come with that. It’s the first time I’ve seen any accountability (from him), so it feels really good,” she added.

Beaudry went to Saskatoon police August 2022 with allegations against Bennewis for incidents which occurred while she attended Legacy Christian Academy.

She is one of 18 former students who filed criminal abuse complaints against the school.

(Left to right) Robynne Cuthbert, Sean Kotelmach, Caitlin Erickson and Jen Beaudry outside Saskatoon Provincial Court on June 15, 2023. (Libby Giesbrecht/650 CKOM)

Benneweis is the first former staff member of Legacy Christian Academy to plead guilty.

“When I pressed charges against Aaron, that was separate from the civil case. My case right now is not part of the class action, but it does benefit the class action because Aaron is listed as a defendant,” Beaudry stated. “This is the first victory for not only me, but a lot of the former students. It feeds hope to the rest that justice can be served. Sometimes you have to be patient, but it is exciting to have this ball rolling in this direction.”

Beaudry said she will be in court when Benneweis appears for sentencing to read her victim impact statement.

“I have elected to read that out loud in court, and there will be many others there in support as well,” she explained.

“This is a huge step in the closure that I have been waiting for over a decade now. It took me a long time to process what even happened many years after I got out of it (school), and it took me many steps to get where we are. I have cherished the process to get here in all it’s ugly phases and all the exciting and validating times,” she added.

“The word guilty attached to it now, coming from him, is something I was never sure I’d get. It’s going to take quite a while to get used to that, but it’s a huge part of healing and huge part of closure.”

Benneweis’ next court appearance will be a sentencing hearing scheduled for Jan. 4, 2024, at 2 p.m. in provincial court.