Mitchell Worsoff

The accused was charged with four counts of assault, two counts of recruiting and holding a person offering sexual services, one count of obtaining financial benefit from sexual services, and two counts of human trafficking.

The Crown narrowed its case to seek conviction on one assault charge (October 31, 2014) and two human trafficking charges.

The trial involved significant credibility issues between the complainant's videotaped police statements (November 2014) and her trial testimony.

The court admitted the police statements under the KGB exception to the hearsay rule and found them ultimately reliable.

The court concluded that the complainant was assaulted on October 31, 2014, and that the accused committed human trafficking by exercising control over the complainant's movements and exploiting her through threats and violence to provide strip club services and surrender her earnings.

The court found the accused received material benefits from the trafficking offence.

The accused was convicted at trial of assault upon his 11-year-old son.

The assault occurred when the accused lost his temper after the child refused to leave a video game to attend a family barbecue, resulting in the accused dragging the child, throwing him against a wall, and holding him by the cheeks and neck.

The Crown sought a four-month jail sentence followed by 18 months of probation, while the defence sought a conditional discharge.

The court imposed a suspended sentence with 18 months of probation, finding that neither custodial nor discharge sentences were appropriate given the aggravating factors balanced against mitigating circumstances.

The accused was charged with assault of his minor son during a family dispute.

The Crown alleged that the accused, in anger, pulled his son to the doorway, threw him towards the door, choked him, and forced him onto a stool by the entrance.

The defence claimed the accused only pulled his son across the floor after reasonable persuasion failed, held his face briefly to get his attention, and that section 43 of the Criminal Code provided a defence for reasonable parental discipline.

The central issue was credibility.

The court found the accused's testimony unreliable and accepted the credible evidence of the three child witnesses.

The court determined that the accused's actions were plainly outside the scope of section 43 and constituted excessive force.

The accused was found guilty.

The accused sought release on bail following charges including forcible entry, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of prohibited weapons, pointing a firearm, assault with a weapon, aggravated assault, and forcible confinement.

The Crown alleged the accused was the main perpetrator in a violent home invasion and assault that resulted in serious injuries to the victim.

The accused testified in his own defence, claiming limited involvement and self-defence.

The court found the Crown's case reasonably strong but granted bail with stringent conditions, including residence outside Toronto with a substantial surety and monitoring requirements.