Doug Snelgrove granted bail, as RNC officer petitions Canada's highest court to hear his appeal

A St. John's police officer convicted of sexually assaulting a woman while on duty has been granted bail as he petitions Canada's top court to overturn his guilty verdict.

Justice Frances Knickle handed down her decision Friday, freeing Const. Doug Snelgrove while he waits to see whether the Supreme Court of Canada will hear his appeal. She concluded he was not a flight risk or a threat to public safety and could be released under the surety of his wife.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer is fighting once more to clear his name, after three trials and a failed bid in the provincial Court of Appeal in April, when his initial appeal was dismissed. The application to the Supreme Court is his final avenue within the justice system to clear his name.

Earlier this year, during his provincial appeal, Snelgrove's Toronto-based lawyer Janani Shanmuganathan argued her client's rights as the accused were violated when the judge, Crown and defence attorneys gathered for a meeting in the judge's chambers without Snelgrove during his trial.

The Court of Appeal ultimately disagreed with that claim, deciding Snelgrove's presence wasn't required during the meeting because he'd designated his lawyer to represent him, and dismissed his appeal in April.

The country's top court, however, accepts only a small percentage of appeal applications each year. In 2022, it heard only six per cent of applications 

Snelgrove was sentenced last year to four years in prison, and has 16 months remaining in his custodial sentence before he's eligible for parole. He is a registered sex offender and is serving his time at Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick.

He was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in her apartment after giving her a ride home from a downtown bar in his patrol car. The survivor testified that she can't remember large portions of the sexual acts he admitted to imposing on her.

The Snelgrove trials sparked public outcry over the treatment of sex assault survivors within the justice system and led to calls for more civilian oversight of the RNC. Several more women came forward with sex assault allegations against RNC officers after his conviction.

Snelgrove remains a constable on unpaid leave with the RNC, as internal disciplinary matters are halted during criminal proceedings.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador