Craig Stoner, one of four members of the British navy in Nova Scotia for a hockey tournament, is escorted at provincial court in Dartmouth, N.S. on Monday, April 20, 2015. The Crown has withdrawn charges against Stoner, accused of sexually assaulting a young woman at a military base in Halifax. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Republished April 30, 2016 - 5:26 AM
Original Publication Date April 29, 2016 - 6:55 AM
HALIFAX - The Crown has withdrawn charges against one of four British sailors accused of sexually assaulting a young woman at a military base in Halifax.
A spokeswoman for the Public Prosecution Service says Crown attorneys withdrew the charges against Craig Stoner in Nova Scotia Provincial Court on Friday.
Chris Hansen says lawyers made the decision after reviewing the evidence and concluding there wasn't a likelihood of conviction.
Stoner was charged with sexual assault and group sexual assault last April 10 in a barracks at CFB Shearwater.
Three others — Simon Radford, Joshua Finbow and Darren Smalley — are facing the same charge.
When they were arrested last April, the men were in Nova Scotia to participate in a hockey tournament with local Armed Forces personnel.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A version that moved April 29 said the charges were withdrawn in Supreme Court. The accused appeared in Provincial Court.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016