Stephen Duncan Wallace will not be charged for sexual assault, the BC Prosecution Service told Black Press Media Wednesday (Nov. 24), one day before the former driving instructor was slated to appear in court.
READ MORE: Victoria driving instructor Steve Wallace arrested for alleged sexual assault
Undertaking documents previously obtained by Black Press Media show that after his Oct. 4 arrest, Wallace was ordered to appear at the Victoria courthouse at 2 p.m. on Nov. 25, 2021. Police recommended three counts of sexual assault to Crown counsel – one from 2011 and two from 2021.
However, Dan McLaughlin, communications counsel at the BC Prosecution Service, confirmed the Crown has not approved charges against Wallace, meaning he is no longer required to appear in court.
“After a full review of the investigative material provided by the investigative agency the Crown Counsel assigned to assess the charges concluded that the charge assessment standard had not been met for any criminal offence and no charges will proceed,” McLaughlin wrote in an emailed statement.
Wallace was arrested after dozens of his driving school students shared allegations of sexual harassment against him on an Instagram page. The women claimed he took advantage of his position of power to inappropriately touch and speak with them while alone together in his instructing car.
ICBC also launched an investigation into the instructor’s behaviour in October and permanently cancelled his driver instructor licence.
Wallace founded Wallace Driving School with his wife in 1976 in Quesnel, B.C. He also worked as a school teacher, councillor and mayor in the city before later moving to Victoria.
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