A sexual assault case in western Manitoba has collapsed after an inmate managed to call the alleged victim hundreds of times from jail.PETER POWER/The Globe and Mail
A sexual assault case in western Manitoba has collapsed after an inmate managed to call the alleged victim hundreds of times from jail, prompting a stay of the charge when she refused to co-operate with the Crown.
The 27-year-old man was being held at the Brandon jail where he made more than 650 calls to his common-law wife within 45 days, despite the fact he wasn't supposed to make contact with her.
Crown lawyer Deidre Badcock told a Brandon courtroom this week that the complainant went from being co-operative to unco-operative, forcing officials to stay the charges from the alleged assault near the city in April, 2013.
A police investigation led to the discovery of the calls and Badcock indicated to the court that the inmate used some sort of ruse by referring to the woman by a false name.
She says that during the calls, he described the Crown lawyer's office as corrupt, made it clear he didn't want his girlfriend to attend court and told her he could help with her children if he was released.
The accused pleaded guilty to obstructing justice for making the calls and assaulting his girlfriend on other occasions.