Former Legacy Christian Academy student speaks at abuser’s hearing

The former athletic director of Legacy Christian Academy will learn his sentence for sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor later this month.

Aaron Travis Benneweis served as the independent Saskatoon school’s athletic director from 2008 to 2012. In October, he pleaded guilty to the two charges, which date back to his time as a staff member there.

Sentencing submissions were heard on Thursday in Saskatoon Provincial Court, but the decision was reserved, meaning Benneweis will have to return to court later this month to learn his sentence. A specific date was not set, but the decision will be heard later this month.

Jennifer Beaudry, a former student at the school, made the complaint against Benneweis, and later petitioned the court to lift the automatic publication ban on the names of victims of sexual crimes, allowing her to speak publicly.

During a victim impact statement read aloud in the courtroom, Beaudry said the abuse “completely disfigured” her view of herself.

“I hope I went from your biggest fantasy to your biggest nightmare,” she told Benneweis.

“You were probably starting to think you got away with it,” she added.

Benneweis, for his part, issued an apology for his actions in the courtroom. He also requested that he be taken into custody prior to the sentencing decision, and that request was granted by the court.

Outside the courtroom, Beaudry said she wasn’t convinced by his apology.

“The attitude is very twisted. He feels bad but for the wrong reasons,” said Beaudry.

When asked what emotions she felt when seeing Benneweis in handcuffs leaving the courtroom today, Beaudry said it’s a sight she had been hoping to see for quite a while.

“Justice, really, is the first one that comes to mind,” said Beaudry. “I didn’t really think that this day was going to come for a really, really long time.”

Four former staff members of Saskatoon’s Legacy Christian Academy are facing criminal charges. (650 CKOM file photo)

Beaudry is not the only former student to come forward with serious allegations relating to their time at the academy.

More than a dozen former students have filed criminal abuse complaints against the school and former staff members, with three other former employees facing charges.

A number of the school’s former students are also involved in a class-action lawsuit, seeking $25 million in damages from the school, former staff members, and the affiliated church.

The numerous allegations emerging from the school prompted the provincial government to take several steps to increase oversight at independent educational institutions around the province.