Sask. man loses bid for new trial in sexual assault of 17-year-old girl [Video]

The following story contains details that some readers may find disturbing

A Melfort-area man convicted of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl multiple times at a New Year’s Eve party has lost his appeal to get a new trial.

The man was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to three years in prison in 2022, along with other orders common to those convicted of sex crimes.

He appealed the conviction in February, arguing the trial judge blew past his serious questions about the credibility of the complainant’s testimony — including differences between what she told police and her testimony, and her statement that her memory of the events came in “flashbacks.”

In the Aug. 7 written decision from the appeal court, Justices Jeffery Kalmakoff and Georgina Jackson upheld the conviction. They said the trial judge recognized the “potentially problematic” areas of the victim’s testimony and approached her evidence with caution.

“Coming at the evaluation of [the victim’s] evidence from that …