Fort St. John veterinarian Sewell will not register as sex offender

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Fort St. John veterinarian Justin Sewell will not need to register as a sex offender. (Justin Sewell, Facebook)

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John veterinarian Justin Sewell, who pleaded guilty to sexual assault, will not need to register as a sex offender.

The decision was delivered on Tuesday, June 24th in a virtual courtroom at the Williams Lake Provincial Court.

Sewell pleaded guilty to sexual assault, unlawfully recording intimate images and voyeurism in 2022.

He was sentenced to two years’ house arrest in April 2025 and was required to submit his DNA.

After his sentence was delivered, the crown filed a request that Sewell must register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA).

SOIRA is a federal law passed in 2004 to assist police in preventing and investigating crimes of a sexual nature by having all sex offenders’ information made readily available.

According to Judge David Simpkin, Sewell will not need to register because he is at low risk of reoffending.

“I found that he was a low risk to reoffend in any way,” said Simpkin.

The judge also noted Sewell had been pursuing rehabilitation efforts since the offence was committed and has taken steps to avoid reoffending, such as installing accountability software on his electronic devices, which his wife monitors.

Requirements under the act would also cause complications with Sewell’s travelling and volunteering commitments, Simpkin said.

“I am satisfied that the offender has established that there is no necessity for him to comply with the Sex Offender Information Registration Act,” said the Simpkin.

Other factors in the decision include Sewell not having prior criminal history, not having committed further offences and not being the subject of any allegations of further criminal behaviour.

The judge also references previous court decisions in which it was ruled that complying with a SOIRA order was “disproportionate” to the offences.

The Crown also appealed Sewell’s sentence, to which a hearing was scheduled for July 14th.

Under the conditions of his release, Sewell can continue his veterinary practice.