Nova Scotia’s highest court has overturned the conviction of a Halifax man who had been found guilty of two counts of invitation to sexual touching.
The Court of Appeal has ruled that Mark Irvine Wetmore’s constitutional rights were violated because his case took too long to come to trial.
Wetmore was charged in June 2021. His trial didn’t wrap up until May of last year, almost 35 months later.
The case was originally supposed to be heard in May 2023, but Wetmore requested an adjournment, claiming the Crown had delayed in finalizing its case. The next available trial dates weren’t until May 2024.
In order to meet deadlines established by the Supreme Court of Canada in its Jordan decision, the trial would have to end in early February 2024.
Committee Member: Mu. Editorial Lead: Yesmap
Adult-attracted gay man; writer. Attraction to minors is typical variation of human sexuality.
