In a historical sexual abuse prosecution involving multiple child complainants and a similar fact witness, the court considered allegations of gross indecency, indecent assault, and intercourse said to have occurred between 1969 and 1976.
The trial judge found significant credibility concerns in one complainant's evidence when viewed in isolation, but accepted the independent evidence of the other complainants and the similar fact witness and relied on the marked similarities among the allegations to reject coincidence and the accused's blanket denial.
Applying the W.D. framework and the law governing similar fact evidence, the court convicted on counts of gross indecency and indecent assault but was not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that intercourse had been proven on one count.
A publication ban under s. 486.4 applied.
