Criminal trial involving allegations of sexual assault and sexual interference against two child complainants.
The court carefully distinguished between credibility and reliability, treating peripheral inconsistencies with caution but finding that a major inconsistency in one complainant’s account raised a reasonable doubt on the counts relating to her.
The other complainant’s evidence of repeated vaginal touching over several years by a parent was accepted as credible and reliable despite inconsistencies about dates, locations, and some details, given her age and the repetitive nature of the abuse.
Convictions were entered on the counts relating to repeated vaginal touching, while the remaining counts were dismissed.
