Sexual assault trial stayed after over 850 days of delays [Video]

The sexual assault trial of a Saskatchewan man has been stayed after a judge found the accused’s right to a trial within a reasonable time was violated.

Based on a decision from Justice James Rybchuk dated on April 1, the accused was charged with one count of sexual assault on Oct. 25, 2021.

The case was originally scheduled to go to trial in late June 2023, the judge determining the original time frame accounted for 517 days of delays, with time deducted for delays caused by the defence.

“This is within the normal period of time that it takes for a matter of this nature to reach trial and therefore would not have constituted a violation of [the accused’s] Charter rights had the trial proceeded as scheduled that day,” Rybchuk said.

However, that time frame was compromised when the judge accounted for another 342 days between June 29, 2023, and …