The expert 'relied on a debunked, inadmissable scientific theory,' says judge
By Yvette Brend, CBC News |
| Claire Reeves testified in a major B.C. child abuse case in 2012 |
The B.C. Court of Appeal has allowed an "extraordinary" time extension to enable a man accused of sexually abusing his children to appeal a family case "more than three years out of time."
The decision comes after the court learned that the credentials of a so-called expert witness who testified in the major child abuse case were called into question by the accused father's legal team.
In launching his bid for appeal, B.G.'s lawyer, Morgan Camley, labelled Reeves "a fraudulent expert" who was "utterly unqualified."
Camley told the B.C. Court of Appeal that Reeves got her degrees from unaccredited companies posing as universities online, offering diplomas for a fee.
A release on the B.C. Court of Appeal website today said the decision to grant an application was granted.
"Although granting an extension of time in the face of a three-year delay is extraordinary, this case is extraordinary and the interests of justice overwhelmingly favour it. There is evidence that an expert tendered by the mother at trial to prove the abuse was a fraud. The "expert" not only may have lacked bona fide credentials and experience, but her opinion relied on a debunked and inadmissible scientific theory. This evidence permeates the judgment, including the sexual abuse findings," wrote Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett.
Today's ruling means the legal team for the man — known only as B.G.— can now prepare an appeal of the original family case which heard evidence from experts that led to him being labelled a child abuser.
CBC News learned that the case involved a woman whose professional views have been labelled "bizarre."
Claire R. Reeves, 74, who calls herself a doctor of psychology, holds controversial views on the Catholic church, mind control and transgender individuals.
The case revolved around the mother's claims that the province's Ministry of Children and Family Development had ignored her suspicions that her husband, B.G., was sexually abusing their children.
Ministry workers had labelled the mother -- known as J.P.-- mentally unstable, and awarded unsupervised access to the father.
Stop 'keeping secrets for Daddy'
The factum paints an ugly picture of the mother referred to only as J.P., citing an incident when she pepper-sprayed her ex-husband, brother and sister-in-law in the home where the children were staying.
As a result the children were moved to a foster home.
Social workers were also concerned about her repeated attempts to interview the children about their father's abuse.
The document says during a supervised visit she "forcibly held (her daughter) in her lap while telling her that (she) needed to tell the truth and cannot keep secrets. J.P. stated that (her daughter) was 'keeping secrets for daddy,' and that her actions were 'ruining our lives.'"
The family court judge reviewing the case, Justice Paul Walker, ultimately ruled B.G. had indeed molested the children, based on months of evidence and the testimony of several expert witnesses — including Claire R. Reeves.
B.G. — the father — was never charged criminally.
Microchips and mind control
CBC News conducted its own independent investigation of Claire R. Reeves's views.
Online, she claims to have been instrumental in bringing in chemical castration for child molesters in California in 1996.
Her Facebook page as of Feb. 9 takes that even further, posing the question, "Why test on animals when we have prisons full of pedophiles?"
On a recent online talk show, Reeves alleged the Catholic church might have murdered a pedophile priest to stop him from talking.
She also suggested many transgender people will go on to commit suicide.
Reeves told the show moderator, "They're going to realize they're not gay. They're not transgender; they've already had the surgery. We're going to see suicides up the wazoo."
This is already a fact and documented
She also believes many people have had controlling microchips implanted in their brains — and have been given trigger words that could turn them into saboteurs.
"I believe people have been chipped, targeted individuals, and more of them than we can imagine," said Reeves, calling it, "Mind control. Because it really is mind control."
What about her - is it a case of 'mind out of control'?
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