Robert Hartlen, a former auxiliary police officer in Fredericton, was expected to choose Thursday how he wanted to be tried for sexual assault, but instead all charges against him were dropped.

Hartlen was charged in May with two counts of possessing child sexual abuse and exploitation material, and one count of sexual assault.

On Thursday, Crown prosecutor Abigayle King told provincial court Judge Mélanie Poirier LeBlanc she was presenting a motion to withdraw all three charges.

Defence lawyer T…