Duff Friesen, former principal of Christian Centre Academy in Saskatoon, may face jail time for assaulting a student nearly 20 years ago, according to arguments made at his sentencing hearing.
A Crown prosecutor asked the court to impose an eight-month jail sentence followed by two years of probation, while defence lawyer Daniel Mol argued for a conditional discharge, which would leave Friesen without a criminal record if he meets the release conditions.
In May, a Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench jury convicted Friesen of one count of assault and acquitted him on three others. Justice Natasha Crooks has reserved her sentencing decision until December 18.
A court-ordered publication ban prevents reporting on any evidence from the trial or on victim impact statements because Friesen has a second jury trial scheduled for September 2026. He is also charged with seven additional counts of assault related to his time at Christian Centre Academy, later renamed Legacy Christian Academy and then Valour Academy. The school has long been associated with Mile Two Church, now called Encounter Church.
Friesen is one of three former school leaders charged or convicted in connection with assaults on students in the early 2000s. Former students alleged that a wooden paddle was used as punishment.
Former director John Olubobokun was found guilty of assaulting students with a wooden paddle and received an 18-month conditional sentence on November 20. His second trial on two more assault charges is set to begin December 2.
Former vice-principal and director Ken Schultz faces charges of assault with a weapon for allegedly striking students with a wooden paddle, along with a charge of sexual assault. His trials are scheduled for May 2026 and June 2026.
In July, a Saskatoon judge dismissed a $25-million class-action lawsuit filed in 2022 against Legacy Christian Academy and Mile Two Church, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to disclose previous settlement agreements with three defendants.
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