Prosecutors challenge the not guilty verdict given to a self-proclaimed sexual deviant
News Article: Canadian Court of Appeal to Hear Appeal in Patrick Lévesque Paquette's Case
Patrick Lévesque Paquette, who was acquitted of a charge of possession of juvenile pornography in May, will have his case heard by the Court of Appeal in the coming months. The decision to allow the production of the appeal was made by Judge Benoît Moore, despite the expiration of the 30-day deadline.
The acquittal came after Lévesque Paquette had been released from prison, having served time for extremely grave crimes, including kidnapping, sequestering, and sexually assaulting a young woman. The illegal images were found on a phone hidden from authorities during Lévesque Paquette's stay in a transition house in the summer of 2023.
The Crown is planning to appeal the acquittal, and has filed a request for an extension of time before the Court of Appeal due to the expiration of the 30-day appeal deadline. The Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP) raised three grounds of appeal in its brief.
One of the grounds of appeal is the DPCP's criticism of Judge Joëlle Roy for considering a search protocol as a constitutional requirement and for incorporating a non-existent criterion to obtain a search warrant. In her decision, Judge Roy severely criticized the work of the police, determining that the search that led to the discovery of the juvenile pornography was a violation of Lévesque Paquette's fundamental rights.
The DPCP also argued that Lévesque Paquette did not benefit from any reasonable expectation of privacy, as he was subject to strict parole conditions, including not possessing a phone. Lévesque Paquette no longer has access to outing privileges and is required to remain at all times in a transition house.
It is worth noting that there are no relevant search results available concerning the Canadian Court of Appeal case details for Lévesque Paquette's appeal of acquittal, including reasons for extension of the appeal deadline and grounds of appeal. If precise information about this case is required, it may be necessary to consult official Canadian court records, legal databases such as CanLII, or relevant legal counsel for access to the appeal documents and rulings.
In addition, Crown prosecutor MAlexandra Guillaume Sam Soto sent an email to Judge Joëlle Roy on June 17, but received no response. This may have implications for the case, but further information is not currently available.
As the Court of Appeal prepares to hear the case, the public will be closely watching the proceedings to see if Lévesque Paquette's acquittal will be overturned and if he will face further charges.
- The upcoming hearing by the Court of Appeal in Patrick Lévesque Paquette's case involves a general-news story about a criminal appeal.
- Despite his acquisition of French nationality, the central figure of this health-and-wellness issue, Lévesque Paquette, is currently residing in a transition house under strict parole conditions that prohibit him from possessing a phone, raising questions about his sexual-health and privacy rights.
- The science of legal proceedings will unfold in the coming months, as the Court of Appeal deliberates on the grounds of appeal, such as the criticisms of Judge Joëlle Roy's decision and the implications of the non-response from Crown prosecutor MAlexandra Guillaume Sam Soto's email.
