George Wilson outside Prince Albert Provincial Court earlier this year. (Charlene Tebbutt/paNOW Staff)

By Charlene Tebbutt

charges dropped

Criminal charges dropped in fraud case involving Waskesiu Wilderness Region

Apr 12, 2019 | 4:48 PM

Criminal charges have been dropped against a local resident charged with defrauding a Waskesiu non-profit organization.

The case against George Wilson will not be going ahead after the Crown entered a stay of proceedings last week, meaning the charges have been dropped. Wilson was charged with fraud over $5,000, theft over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime. Those charges stemmed from a police investigation into financial irregularities between 2008 and 2015, when Wilson was in a position of financial authority with the Waskesiu Wilderness Region [WWR].

But, the case has dragged on too long, going against recent legislation that provincial court proceedings –such as in Wilson’s case – should take no longer than 18 months. Cases going through Queen’s Bench courts have a 30-month time limit.

Wilson was arrested on the charges in January 2018, some five months after a warrant for his arrest on the charges was issued the previous August.

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Wilson issued a short statement this week saying he is happy to see the charges dropped. Wilson asserts he should never have been charged and was always willing to cooperate with authorities. An affidavit signed by Wilson and obtained previously by paNOW said he requested a forensic audit of the WWR’s books twice in 2016.

“I am innocent and have always believed in serving and bettering the community and I will continue to do so,” Wilson’s statement reads. “There should never be any politicial pressure or bias involved in a police investigation, and I believe that both the RCMP and Prince Albert City Police need to be more careful in the future to guard against this.”

Wilson’s defence lawyer said the length of time the case took to go through the courts was an issue. Peter Abrametz Jr. said the case also raised questions about a conflict of interest by some involved, namely the Justice of the Peace who issued the arrest warrant as she and Wilson have known each for a number of years.

“Everybody has a right to trial within a reasonable time and we felt that that had been infringed,” Peter Abrametz Jr. said. “Right from the beginning, he suggested a forensic audit and it never happened, and I think it’s unfortunate and I think it may have prevented a lot of subsequent difficulty for everybody.”

Tim Longworth, chair of the board for the WWR declined to comment on the stay of proceedings this week, but said he will be reviewing the matter with the organization’s board of directors later this month.

Crown Prosecutor Tyrel Taylor said he’s disappointed to see the charges dropped in the case. Taylor couldn’t say much about why the case took so long to proceed, but said it was being reviewed.

“Unfortunately, when charges were laid we didn’t have everything that may have been relevant,” Taylor said. “Charges were laid with the expectation that we’d be able to get all of that in a relatively expeditious manner, if and when it became necessary, however, it turned out that was not the case.”

Criminal charges that are stayed can technically be brought back within one year, but it rarely happens, and given the length of time that has already passed, lawyers on both sides say it’s unlikely. The Prince Albert Police Service confirmed previously that it is looking into some financial dealings Wilson had with some Prince Albert community clubs.

Abrametz Jr. doesn’t think anything will come from that investigation.

“George has been a long-time volunteer in this community, he’s done a lot of good work and it’s unfortunate he’s been put through this,” Abrametz Jr. added.

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Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt