Crown suspends charges against former Winnipeg gym teacher accused of sexually abusing student

The charges against a former gym teacher who was accused of sexually abusing and sexually exploiting a student have been dropped by the Public Prosecution Service.

Amanda Rachelle Sherrett – who was a gym teacher at College Beliveau – was arrested on March 29 after police learned of a “sexually exploitative” relationship with a former student who was under the age of 18 at the time.

“The survivor was manipulated by the accused who eventually gained their trust. The accused had inappropriate physical and sexual contact with the survivor during school trips and occasionally around town,” Winnipeg police wrote in a news release at the time of Sherrett’s arrest.

She was charged with sexual assault, sexual exploitation and luring a person under the age of 18.

The Manitoba Attorney General’s Office has since dropped the charges.

“The charges were withdrawn because the Crown determined there was no reasonable prospect of a conviction,” a provincial spokesperson said in an email to CTV News Winnipeg.

Court records show the charges were dropped on June 25.

After her arrest in March, she was suspended from school pending an investigation, the Louis Riel School Division said.

The division indicated that it would also work on its own internal process.

In an email to CTV News Winnipeg, school officials said they were aware of the suspended charges but could not comment on the internal matter.

“The safety and well-being of our students, staff and all members of our school community remains our highest priority,” a spokesperson said.

– With files from Charles Lefebvre of CTV