British Columbia: A child sexual assault case in British Columbia was dismissed because of significant delays, with the accused man facing charges related to molesting a six-year-old girl. The case was stayed after over two years due to delays exceeding the Supreme Court’s 18-month trial limit for provincial courts.
B.C. Premier David Eby criticized the strict trial deadlines set by the Supreme Court, which he said have caused problems in other provinces as well. The delays in this case included issues like a missing interpreter, a lawyer’s illness, and a witness’s cancer diagnosis.
The B.C. Conservative Party blamed the provincial government for the delays, calling it a severe failure in justice administration. Eby acknowledged the issue and stated that the prosecution service will review the situation to improve the system.