Man found guilty of sexually exploiting teen freed after just one night in jail

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This article was published 28/01/2016 (3718 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg man sentenced this week to 18 months jail for sexually exploiting his wife’s teenaged assistant is back home after just one night behind bars.

Bruce Frost, 51, was granted bail on Thursday pending an appeal of his guilty finding. The Crown was opposed to his release. The decision means his sentence is on hold pending a hearing before the high court. No date has been set.

Defence lawyer Mike Cook told the Free Press he successfully argued that his client’s bid has a strong chance to succeed.

“The legal argument is whether the unique facts of this particular case prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was in a position of trust,” said Cook.

Frost has admitted to a consensual sexual relationship with the 17-year-old girl but fought the charge on the legal grounds he wasn’t in any kind of authoritative position at the time. Although he admitted to being a bad husband, he denied being a criminal.

Queen’s Bench Justice Chris Martin disagreed, saying Frost knew exactly what he was doing when he began pressuring the “vulnerable teenager” for sex.

The victim took the witness stand at trial and said she felt like there was no choice but to begin having sex with Frost over several months in the fall of 2012. She described viewing Frost as a “father figure.”

She had known Frost and his wife for many years through family connections. The relationship grew closer when Frost’s wife hired her for several duties. This included helping with her personal business and eventually included caring for their two children. Her tasks included picking them up from school, taking them to appointments and getting them fed.

Frost surprised her when he began making sexual comments while they were alone, court was told. Eventually, they were having sexual intercourse as many as three times a week over the course of about two months.

Frost also purchased lingerie for her while giving her extra cash on the side for work she was providing to the family, she said. The matter came to light and was reported to police after the teen disclosed it to a friend, who told her parents.

www.mikeoncrime.com