The Crown has stayed a sexual exploitation charge against a former manager of the Prince Albert Northern Bears hockey team.
Jamie Engen’s trial did not take place on Tuesday as originally scheduled—when someone’s charge is stayed, they do not have to return to court. However, when the courts stay a charge, the Crown has one year to reactivate it.
“As matters developed, in all the circumstances the case did not meet the prosecutions standard,” said the Ministry of Justice in an emailed statement.
The ministry referred the Herald to a document on prosecutions and proceeding with charges.
It said that when deciding on whether or not to proceed with a trial or preliminary inquiry, or to instruct that charges be instituted, Crown prosecutors will ask themselves two questions: Is there a reasonable likelihood of the conviction and is it in the public interest to proceed?
The state of the case may change as it moves through the judicial process with new evidence from the police, reads the document. Even after the police investigation is complete, Crown prosecutors may receive more information affecting the prosecution.
Engen was charged on Oct. 20, 2019 and was released from the Northern Bears on Oct. 27. He pleaded not guilty in December.
The Northern Bears are an Under-18 AAA girls hockey team. Engen is also a former Prince Albert Minor Hockey board member.
