The founder of a ballet school in Greater Victoria has been convicted of two sexual offenses in connection with a 15-year-old student. David Beales, who initially faced charges including sexual interference and exploitation, was acquitted of the third charge. During his trial at the B.C. Supreme Court in Victoria, it was revealed that Beales ran the Maple Leaf School of Russian Ballet and had first met the girl when she was nine years old. She looked up to him as she aspired to become a professional dancer.
According to the recent B.C. Supreme Court decision, when the girl’s parents prohibited her from returning to the school, Beales proposed a scholarship arrangement that waived her tuition and attendance fees. The girl disclosed in court that she became pregnant by Beales, suffered a miscarriage in the summer of 2020 before her Grade 11 year, and subsequently dropped out of school.
Justice Liliane Bantourakis, in finding Beales guilty of the two charges, discredited his testimony while deeming the girl’s account reliable. The Crown’s evidence successfully demonstrated the accusations against Beales. The judge noted that Beales exerted control and influence over the girl, leveraging her vulnerability and isolation. Despite the school’s temporary closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2020, their sexual relationship continued until 2022.
