Former fire chief found not guilty of sexual assault

Dec. 19, 2017, Prince George, B.C. – A former chief of the fire department in Fort St. James, B.C., has been found not guilty by a jury of sexually assaulting two female volunteers.

The jury reached the verdicts Saturday in the case of Robert Harold Bennett after deliberating for 3 1/2 days at the courthouse in Prince George.

It was unable to reach a verdict in the case of a third complainant.

It was Bennett’s second trial after he was found guilty previously by a judge on all three counts.

A new trial was ordered by the B.C. Appeal Court after it said the lower court judge displayed an apprehension of bias.

(Prince George Citizen)