N.L. police officer Doug Snelgrove seeks 4th trial after sexual assault conviction

A St. John's police officer who sexually assaulted a young woman while on dutyis seeking either a new trial or a reduced sentence, as the highly publicized case enters its seventh year.

Doug Snelgrove, a member of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, formally completed his application to appeal on Monday, arguing that his four-year sentence handed down in November was "harsh and unfit."

He has been at the centre of three trials already for his 2014 sexual assault on the survivor, known widely as Jane Doe, whose identity is protected under Canadian law.

Snelgrove, represented by Toronto lawyer Janani Shanmuganathan, is now requesting a fourth trial, arguing that Justice Vikas Khaladkar "failed to properly instruct the jury" on the inducement of sexual activity by abusing a position of trust or authority, an argument that proved key to the Crown's final submissions to the jury in May.

Snelgrove also saidKhaladkar violated his right to be present during the whole of his trial and that the justice's instructions on the elements of sexual assault were deficient.

The constable has a bail hearing on Dec. 21. If successful, hewill be released until his appeal decision. A date for his appeal hearing has not been set.

The province's court of appeal may uphold Snelgrove's conviction and sentence, or decide to alter thesentence. Thecourt could also order a new trial, orthe appeal could be sent to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Supreme Court of Canada receives about 600 appeal applications each year. It grants about 80 of them.

Multiple trials

The constable, whose multiple trials have sparked widespread protests about the treatment of sex assault survivors by the justice system,is currently behind bars atBishop's Falls Correctional Centre.

Snelgrovewas arrested in 2015 andacquitted after his initial trial in 2017. Prosecutors sought an appeal, however, arguing Judge Valerie Marshall didn't properly instruct the jury on the issue of consent.

That won a second trial in 2020, which ended early due to a mistake from the bench. In that instance, JusticeGarrett Handriganfailed to properly dismiss additional jurors, and no verdict was reached.

Snelgrove's third trial ended withhis conviction in May.

Since then, at least a dozen women have accused sevenRNC officers, most of them retired, of sexual assault, harassment or misconduct.

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