Sex offender seeking counsel ahead of pleas
Anthony Stephen Beaumont, 40, of Fredericton, accused of violating registration order
A Fredericton man who was wanted on an outstanding warrant appeared in court Monday, but he wasn’t ready to plead to the two charges he’s facing.
Anthony Stephen Beaumont, 40, of Albert Street, was supposed to appear in Fredericton provincial court Dec. 18 to answer to a charge alleging he breached a Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA) order.
The count alleges he failed to report where he was living to the registration centre June 2 and July 2, 2022, as per a SOIRA order from 2007.
He was also scheduled to answer to a Jan. 24, 2023, count of failing to attend court, but Beaumont wasn’t present in court Dec. 18 when his case was called. As a result, the court issued a warrant for his arrest.
However, he showed up late that same day, and the court vacated the warrant.
His case was back on the provincial court docket Monday, and Beaumont appeared in person. He wasn’t in custody, indicating the warrant was executed and he was released, or that the warrant was vacated.
Duty counsel Gwynne Hearn said Beaumont has applied for legal aid, and he was seeking an adjournment of pleas to allow that process to unfold so he can have defence counsel.
Judge Natalie LeBlanc set the charges over to Jan. 29 for pleas.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.