Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
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The former principal of a Saskatoon Christian will receive his sentence next month after he was found guilty of assault with a weapon.
Duff Arthur Friesen was found guilty of assaulting a former student by hitting them with a paddle during his employment at Legacy Christian Academy from 2003 to 2004. The school was formerly known as Christian Centre Academy, and has since been renamed Valour Academy.
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The former principal’s jury trial began in May, and after seven days he was found guilty on one charge of assault with a weapon. He was acquitted of three other charges.
On Friday at Saskatoon’s Court of King’s Bench, Crown prosecutor Sheryl Fillo and defense lawyer Daniel Mol made their sentencing submissions.
Due to a publication ban protecting an upcoming trial for Friesen, where he faces similar charges, the evidence, submissions, exhibits and victim-impact statements cannot be reported.
Justice Natasha Crooks, who is presiding over the case, is set to make her sentencing decision on Dec. 18.
Friesen is one of several former staff members of Legacy Christian Academy to face criminal charges after a number of former students came forward with abuse allegations.
Last week, the school’s former director John Olubobokun was handed an 18-month conditional sentence for padding students at the school. He was found guilty of nine counts of assault with a weapon.
In January of 2024, Aaron Travis Benneweis, the school’s former athletic director, was given a two-year sentence after pleading guilty to charges of sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor.
Ken Schultz, a former director and vice-principal at Christian Centre Academy, has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault and assault with a weapon. His case remains before the courts.
