Editor’s note: The headline and caption for this story originally stated that Sandra Forcier was a social worker, but Forcier has never been registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and was in fact a child protection worker. The headline and caption have been changed to reflect that.
A warrant that was issued for the arrest of a Belleville woman accused of sexually assaulting two minors several years ago has been rescinded after she showed up hours late for a court appearance.
Sandra Forcier was due in Superior Court in Belleville Wednesday morning at 10 a.m., but did not show up for her court appearance.
The woman was charged by Belleville police on Jan. 31 with two counts each of sexual assault and sexual exploitation, and one count of sexual interference.
According to a Global News investigation, Forcier was working as a supervisor at a Highland Shores Children’s Aid group home at the time of the alleged offences in 2012 and 2013.
Forcier was originally represented by Edward Kafka, but at some point, she dropped the defence lawyer. Forcier was meant to appear in court to represent herself on Jan. 10, but also never showed up.
The judge issued a bench warrant with discretion, which was not a warrant for her arrest, but rather a warrant that required her to appear in court at her next court date, which was set for Jan. 29.
On Jan. 10, Kafka said that although he was not her lawyer anymore, he would personally make sure Forcier arrived Jan. 29.
True to his word, Kafka was in court on Wednesday, not appearing as Forcier’s lawyer, but as what he called “a friend of the court.” Kafka said he had notified Forcier before Wednesday that she was due in court.
In court, Kafka said he called his former client on Wednesday, saying she was due to appear, and she told him she was on her way. But by noon, two hours after she was set to appear, she had not showed.
This prompted Crown counsel Michael Lunski to suggest a bench warrant without endorsement, which meant that when she was arrested by Belleville police, she would automatically be held for a bail hearing, where it would be decided if she would be kept in custody for the duration of her trial.
Kafka, who was still speaking on Forcier’s behalf, argued that the warrant with endorsement, which would allow Belleville police officers to choose whether she should be released or held for a bail hearing, was more fair, since there may have been an unknown reason why Forcier could not appear in court on Wednesday.
Lunski took issue with that argument, saying Forcier had already not shown up to court on a previous occasion and was charged for that alleged offence. Lunski said he eventually dropped the charge since he wanted to focus on the more serious allegations of sexual assault.
“This is not a one-off,” Lunski argued. When asked if Forcier was a flight risk, Lunski replied: “she’s at risk of not attending court.”
The judge ruled in the end with Kafka, and ordered a warrant for her arrest, but left it up to police to decide whether she would be held or released.
According to Belleville police, Forcier eventually showed up to the Quinte Courthouse, and the warrant for her arrest was rescinded. Global News has yet to confirm her next court date.
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