Bannister released

Todd Bannister, former commanding officer of the 148 Charlottetown Army Cadet Corps, is no longer a member of the Canadian Armed Forces. In February, a military court judge found Bannister not guilty on charges stemming from incidents where he allegedly asked a female cadet for sex.

Todd Bannister is no longer a member of the Canadian Armed Forces. He was released within the last two months following an administrative review process, which is used whenever a member’s suitability or viability for continued service is called into question, said Canadian Armed Forces spokesman Capt. Liam Mather. Mather said the particulars surrounding Bannister’s release cannot be disclosed due to privacy regulations. In February, a military court judge found Bannister not guilty on charges stemming from incidents where he allegedly asked a female cadet for sex. He was found not guilty on two counts of behaving in a disgraceful manner and not guilty on two counts of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline. The charges stemmed from two incidents involving former female cadet Breanna MacKinnon while Bannister was commanding officer of the 148 Charlottetown Army Cadet Corps. The maximum penalty for a conviction of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline is dismissal with disgrace. The administrative review is independent from any disciplinary or legal proceedings such as the pending appeal hearing, noted Mather. During the court martial trial, prosecutor Maj. M.E. Leblond requested a military court judge reach not guilty verdicts against Bannister on charges stemming from an incident where Bannister, while serving as commanding officer of the 148 Charlottetown Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, allegedly made a crude comment to a female cadet about her breasts.