Starting next week, submitting Obituaries, In Memoriams or Cards of Thanks for our publications and online becomes easier! Simply visitSTORY CONTINUES BELOW THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOSA former Halifax teacher who is on his deathbed with cancer has been acquitted on historical charges of sexually abusing two teenage boys.
In his decision, Coughlan said there were “significant inconsistencies” in the evidence of both complainants. “In considering all the evidence, I find the Crown has not proved the essential elements of the offences charged beyond a reasonable doubt,” the judge said.The first complainant testified that he was sexually assaulted on one occasion, while sleeping over at Poirier’s apartment in Dartmouth with a friend.
The second complainant — the man with the lengthy criminal record — told the court he was molested by Poirier dozens of times during his Grade 8 school year. He said most of the assaults took place at Poirier’s apartment, but he was also abused at school and in Poirier’s vehicle while it was parked near a church.
Defence lawyer Ian Hutchison said the discrepancies could not be ignored and raised serious credibility issues.“My client and his family are very happy with the outcome of the case,” Hutchison told The Chronicle Herald. He has another trial scheduled in Halifax provincial court on charges of abusing a different boy between 1988 and 1990. Those charges, laid in 2022, include sexual interference, sexual exploitation and sexual assault.
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