The accused was charged with aggravated assault following a drunken fight outside a house party that left the complainant with skull fractures and other injuries.
The Crown alleged the accused punched and kicked the complainant in the head while he was on the ground.
The trial focused on credibility and causation, including conflicting witness accounts and the complainant’s severe intoxication.
The court found the only witness alleging a kick had credibility concerns and that no witness reported a kick to police at the scene.
Evidence that the complainant’s head struck the pavement while being moved by others raised a reasonable doubt as to whether the accused caused the injuries.
