A former youth worker convicted of having a years-long sexual relationship with a teenage boy in the 1990s spoke publicly for the first time since charges were laid, telling the judge she is “not the same person” she was 35 years ago.
In October, Beverly Allard, 65, was found guilty of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Allard did not testify in her own defence at trial. But on Friday, when given a chance to address the judge, she told the court that “the weight of carrying [her] untold story has been a very heavy burden.”
“Only a portion of that story has been told,” said Allard. “I have to accept responsibility for where I am today.”
Sentencing arguments have already been made but the parties were in court Friday as defence lawyer Dale Knisely asked the judge to declare a mistrial. He said the Crown did not disclose that the victim was facing criminal charges at the time of his testimony against Allard.
The victim’s identity is protected by a publication ban. CBC News refers him in this article as A.B.
‘Right to make full answer and defence’
A.B. has a criminal history that was disclosed to defence, but Knisely argued he should have been told about the complainant’s active charges of aggravated assault before the courts.
“The non-disclosure impaired Ms. Allard’s right to make full answer and defence,” argued Knisely.
Knisely also provided a timeline showing A.B.’s charges were stayed by the Crown three days after his testimony against Allard.
The defence lawyer questioned whether there was a deal offered in exchange for his testimony.
But chief Crown prosecutor Peter Mackenzie provided a letter to the court explaining that A.B.’s charges were stayed because the Crown had no reasonable likelihood of conviction.
Prosecutor Melissa Bond also argued that “unfounded allegations” in the form of charges “are very different” than convictions with respect to the Crown’s disclosure obligations.
Victim ‘happy to have that closeness’
In 1990, Allard was 31 years old when she began having sex with a 14-year-old A.B. while he was living at the William Roper Hull secure residential facility.
At the time, A.B.’s mother had relinquished care of him to Alberta Child and Family Services
One night, A.B. broke out of Hull Homes and showed up at Allard’s house, where the two had sex for the first time.
A.B., who is now 47 years old, testified during the trial, telling the court he developed a crush on Allard because she paid him extra attention and he was “just happy to have that closeness.”
“It’s just something I hadn’t had since I had a mother,” he said in his evidence.
‘What I did was wrong’
Many of the details of the relationship between Allard and A.B. come from a 26-page handwritten statement Allard provided to police in 1998. At the time, she told a detective that A.B. was threatening her with violence and with disclosing their relationship to authorities.
She said she’d had enough and wanted to disclose her story to police.
“I know that what I did was wrong,” she wrote.
The Edmonton police detective who took Allard’s statement referred the case to Calgary police, but the file sat dormant for 24 years.
‘Shameful self-reflection’
During the trial, Knisely argued Allard’s description of the contact depicted Allard as the victim of sexual assault, but in her conviction decision, the judge disagreed.
Justice Lisa Silver will make her ruling on the mistrial application next month. If she declines to grant a mistrial, Allard will be sentenced in June.
Six of Allard’s family members attended the hearing in support. In her brief statement, Allard thanked her family for standing by her.
She said she’s experienced “shameful self-reflection” since the 1990s.
“I am not the person I was 35 years ago.”