Former Napier councillor seeking formal acquittal from Canada's highest court

Former Napier City councillor Peter Beckett, pictured in 1998, was acquitted of his wife's murder late last year but is now seeking a formal acquittal from Canada's highest court. Photo / File

A former Napier councillor, who was acquitted for the murder of his second wife last year, is now calling for the Supreme Court of Canada to find him not guilty once and for all.

Peter Beckett's wife, Laura Letts-Beckett, drowned in 2010 in Upper Arrow Lake near Revelstoke, Canada.

While her death was initially believed to be an accident, he was arrested in August 2011 and later convicted of her murder, before the charge was thrown out by the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

Beckett successfully argued for his conviction to be overturned on several grounds, including improper submissions by the prosecutor and errors by the judge.

Now he is reportedly asking the country's top judicial authority, the Canada Supreme Court, to find him not guilty once and for all and be formally considered as acquitted, according to a report by Castanet.net.

Beckett's appeal to the Supreme Court came after the Crown lodged an appeal against his conviction being overturned.

If the Supreme Court decides not to hear the Crown appeal, the acquittal will remain.

However, if the court agrees to hear the Crown appeal and finds in their favour, Beckett could be sent back to prison.

Beckett has always maintained his innocence, claiming Letts fell off the boat and drowned before he could save her.