Saskatchewan man Brent Habetler likely violated his Alberta court-ordered conditions in Bermuda but Canadian authorities may not have any power to act.
Earlier this month, Habetler was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail for committing an indecent act in front of a young girl, and fined $500 for a physical assault against a man, reported The Royal Gazette in Bermuda. Habetler fled Bermuda, however, before he could be sent to jail.
At the time of his arrest in Bermuda, he was under court-ordered conditions from a Lloydminster, Alta., court to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. His arrest in Bermuda violated those conditions.
“We would need to make an MLAT (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty) request in order to get the files and be allowed to file a breach of the bond,” Cpl. Mathew Howell, Public Information Officer – WAD, for Alberta RCMP Media Group, told SaskToday.ca in an E-mail Monday.
The process to get the files in order to file a breach of the bond is long, arduous and goes through many layers of government approval, according to the Government of Canada website. In addition, Canada doesn’t seem to have an MLAT agreement with Bermuda, which means Bermuda doesn’t have any legal obligation to provide RCMP with documents.
SaskToday.ca reached out to the Litigation Branch Criminal Law Division for the Department of Justice Canada, inquiring if Bermuda has any international obligations, since they are considered a British Isle. They didn’t immediately respond.
On April 8, a Bermuda court heard that Habetler was on a yearlong peace bond at the time of his arrest, which had been ordered on Nov. 15, 2023, in Lloydminster, Alta., reported the Royal Gazette. The bond was binding no matter where in the world he was, and ordered that he be on good behaviour and stay away from public pools, day cares and playgrounds, Bermuda court heard.
When Habetler didn't appear in Bermuda court for his April 8 sentencing, the court adjourned the matter for a week to give him time to return to Bermuda. He had gone back to Saskatchewan, court heard.
On April 12, the Bermuda court sentenced Habetler to 10 weeks in jail in absentia, since he didn’t return.
Defence told the Bermuda court that Habetler’s peace bond, while binding in Canadian law, had no influence in Bermuda’s jurisdiction. She also said that Habetler had offered to pay $2,000 towards any potential fines in case he couldn’t return to Bermuda.
Habetler – who legally changed his name to add the prefix “Sir” in front of his name after he had claimed to be third cousin to Queen Elizabeth II – was found guilty in Bermuda Magistrates Court on April 5. Habetler was given permission to leave Bermuda that day because he had run out of cash to fund his stay, court heard.
Victoria Greening, for the defence, later told the court that her client flew home the following day, but couldn't find a way back to face sentencing, reported the Royal Gazette. She added that, while he claimed he had friends with private planes, none of them were willing to let him board.
Alan Richards, for the Bermuda Crown, said jail time was appropriate because the two charges together, crossed the threshold for a custodial sentence. He added that Habetler’s lack of remorse, failure to appear for sentencing, and potential breach of his Canadian peace bond should all play a factor, reported the Royal Gazette.
Habetler had been arrested on Nov. 26, 2023, and charged with committing an indecent act in a swimming pool and assault. Police said he was caught masturbating in a public place when he was a guest at the Willowbank Resort in Southampton, Bermuda. He was also charged with assaulting a man at a hotel. Bermuda Police Service Corporate Communications Manager Gary Moreno had confirmed the charges with SaskToday.
During Habetler’s trial in Bermuda in February, The Royal Gazette reported that a woman testified Habetler was looking in the direction of her daughter and granddaughter while performing the indecent act, and told her that he “had an itch.”
Fake royal? No proof found in Habetler’s claims to be royalty
Habetler had legally changed his name to Sir Brent Adair Habetler and claimed to be third cousin to the now late Queen Elizabeth II.
But after genealogy expert, Xenia Stanford from Family Roots Tracer in British Columbia, spent countless hours pouring over family trees and archives trying to find any evidence that would prove Sir Habetler's Royal lineage, she came up empty-handed, saying no historical evidence proving Habetler’s claims could be found.
Habetler, and his lawyer, were given numerous opportunities to respond to these findings before they were published by SaskToday, but neither responded.
Stolen valour
Habetler had also claimed that he was a sniper and a weapons tech in the military. He said after being recognized as third cousin to Queen Elizabeth II, he represented the Monarchy at a military event in Wainwright, Alta.
In October 2019, information about Habetler appeared on Stolen Valour Canada. Stolen Valour said Habetler claimed to have served in the Canadian Army from 1999-2003, and was a member of 1 PPCLI / Joint Task Forces 1 & 2 [weapons tech and sniper]. He claimed to have been deployed to the Balkans, Africa, Middle East and Central America and retired on a “quarter pension” as a Master Corporal. He claimed to have a secret knighthood for his combat service in JTF2 on operations in Venezuela.
Stolen Valour said that the reality was “Sir Brent doesn’t have a single day of CF service.”
Faced similar charges decades ago in Canada
According to a Feb. 17, 2000, story in the Prince George Free Press, Habetler, then 22, was charged with two counts of committing an indecent act and exposing himself for a sexual purpose. The story states that on Jan. 8, 2000, police received a report that a man had lured a 10-year-old girl into the washroom at the Elksentre where he committed an indecent act.
Habetler was arrested and released on bail on strict conditions. He was barred from all fast food restaurants, the Elksentre and all public places where young girls may frequent such as playgrounds. Following a trial in July 2000, one charge was dropped, and he was acquitted on the other charge.
Sask. RCMP warns residents Habetler high-risk to re-offend
In March 2023, Saskatchewan RCMP released Habetler's photo to media and said that in the interest of public safety, they were warning residents of the Maidstone RCMP detachment area, and surrounding communities, that Habetler had been charged with committing an indecent act, and that he was at high-risk to reoffend.
— Click for more from Crime, Cops and Court.
