N.S. court acquits former principal in historical sexual assault case

Former Nova Scotia School Principal Acquitted in Historical Sexual Assault Case

In a landmark decision, Judge Christine Driscoll announced on Monday morning that former Nova Scotia school principal Steve Hutchins, 59, has been found not guilty in a historical sexual assault case. The verdict was delivered in provincial court in Halifax.

The case stemmed from an allegation made by a woman who accused Hutchins of giving her an open-mouthed kiss and touching her body at a social function at a home in Hammonds Plains when she was just 14 years old. The woman testified during the trial in September, recalling feeling shocked and surprised by the alleged incident. She explicitly stated that she did not consent to any of the contact.

Hutchins, in his defence, denied all the allegations brought against him. He acknowledged attending functions at the said home with the complainant but vehemently refuted her claims. “I’m asserting that day didn’t happen. I’m absolutely able to say it didn’t occur,” he stated during his testimony.

Judge Driscoll, while acknowledging the credibility of the complainant’s testimony, expressed that she was left with some doubt. As a result, she had to acquit Hutchins due to insufficient evidence to support the allegations.

The woman did not report the incident to the police until other charges were brought against Hutchins by another woman. The upcoming trial for those charges is scheduled for March.

The second woman who came forward with allegations against Hutchins shared her story with CBC News last year. She initially hesitated to report the incident, fearing her claims might be deemed trivial. Additionally, she was concerned that her complaint could impact Hutchins’ impending marriage to Karen Johnston, who was referred to as Johnston-Hutchins during the trial.

During the proceedings, Johnston-Hutchins took it upon herself to recreate the scene of the alleged incident in a video to aid the complainant’s memory. This action was criticized by Hutchins’ lawyer, Don Murray, who described Johnston-Hutchins as a “busybody” in his closing arguments. Judge Driscoll noted that Johnston-Hutchins’ efforts could potentially “muddy the waters” in the case.

Hutchins refrained from making any comments as he left the courtroom following the verdict.