The accused was charged with 12 offences relating to and arising out of his alleged procurement of J.D.S. as a prostitute and having committed the offence of human trafficking between January 1, 2008 and July 12, 2014. He was also charged with injuring or endangering an animal, his dog.
The female victim claimed he viciously kicked and threw his dog. Responding police found a large dog on the balcony that one officer testified “was absolutely terrified. It was shaking.” The accused denied harming the dog, testifying that he could not have lifted up his very large dog by the neck to choke it as she testified that he did.
In a 26 page decision, very little was devoted to the animal cruelty charge apart from “While his violent and abusive demeanour and disposition would certainly suggest that he is the kind of person who would or could have been abusive to his own dog[…] there is some uncertainty to this allegation”.
The accused was acquitted of the injuring or endangering an animal charge, but convicted on one count of sexual assault, two counts of benefitting from trafficking in persons, two counts of procuring to become a prostitute, two counts of procuring to carry on prostitution, two counts of trafficking in persons, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon (a piece of broken glass), failure to comply with his recognizance and forcible confinement.