Yellowknife man pleads guilty to sexually assaulting a minor

On Monday afternoon at N.W.T. Supreme Court, a Yellowknife man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a minor in 2021. 

Bradley Storm Beaulieu, 26, appeared virtually from a prison in Alberta to enter the plea. 

Justice Louise Charbonneau explained to Beaulieu this means he gives up his right to trial and that he accepts that the sexual assault happened. He said he understood this.

Next, Beaulieu will attend a sentencing hearing where the Crown and defence will submit what sentence they think he should receive. Ultimately, it will be up to the judge to decide on the sentence. 

There was some confusion around the plea earlier in the day, as Beaulieu appeared Monday morning and first entered a not-guilty plea. After entering the plea, Beaulieu said he hadn't had a chance to talk to his lawyer about it. 

Court was then adjourned for several hours so Beaulieu and his lawyer could speak. 

When he reappeared Monday afternoon and entered the guilty plea, Charbonneau clarified with Beaulieu that the earlier plea was due to him needing more information. 

Beaulieu's next appearance is set for Dec. 16 where he is expected to appear virtually.

The reason Beaulieu is appearing by video from a prison in Alberta is because he is serving the remainder of a three-and-a-half-year sentence for a fatal head-on collision he caused last summer.

He was sentenced in September for driving impaired southbound in the northbound lane of Highway 35 near High Level, Alta., on June 24, 2023 and hitting a truck with two Yellowknife residents inside who were returning home. 

The female passenger was declared dead at the scene. The male driver suffered serious injuries.

The day before that, Beaulieu was charged with impaired driving and dangerous driving in Behchokǫ̀. His next appearance for this is Nov. 26.