All charges against a Smiths Falls man, who’s trial was taking place this week have been dropped.
Dale Hilton was facing a number of charges that were sexual in nature, and was being tried by Judge this week in Brockville.
His lawyer Tony Paciocco, says in part in a statement that at the Crown’s request, the judge in the case, the Honourable Justice Kimberly Moore, dismissed all criminal charges against Mr. Hilton. The case did not even get to verdict.
The crown said that due to reliability issues in the complainant’s evidence which were so significant, it felt it did not even have a reasonable prospect of conviction.
Mr. Paciocco told Lake 88 in an email, “I applaud the Crown for asking the Court to dismiss the charges against Mr. Hilton midway through trial when it became clear during the complainant’s evidence that there was no reasonable prospect of conviction. Mr. Hilton is glad that this long ordeal is finally over. He looks forward to moving on with his life.”
Hilton voluntarily agreed to have no contact with the unnamed complainant or her family members for a year.
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