In a criminal trial, the young person accused, C.A., was charged with two counts of sexual assault against the complainant, N.W. The incidents were alleged to have occurred in October 2022 and January 2023.
The court assessed the credibility and reliability of both young witnesses, noting their memory limitations regarding peripheral details.
The court explicitly rejected defence arguments based on common myths and stereotypes about sexual assault victims, such as the implausibility of assaults in public spaces or the victim's post-assault behaviour and disclosure patterns.
Despite finding both the complainant and the accused credible, the court determined that the accused's denial, coupled with the complainant's evidence, left a reasonable doubt as to what transpired.
Consequently, the accused was acquitted on all charges.
