The Crown has withdrawn charges against one of seven St. Michael’s College School students charged in a series of assaults and sexual assaults at the private all-boys’ school, saying there is no reasonable prospect of conviction in his case. Charges of assault, gang sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon against the teen were dropped Wednesday morning. The teen, who was not present in court, cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.His charges were linked to the alleged gang sexual assault of a student in a school locker-room in November 2018, which was videotaped and shared on social media, sparking a Toronto police investigation into a number of other incidents.“The Crown has done a full assessment of all the evidence in this case against this young person and though at the time there were reasonable and probable grounds for his arrest on these charges, it is the Crown’s current view that there is no reasonable prospect of conviction of this young person,” Crown prosecutor Erin McNamara told the court. The teen’s lawyer Brian Heller thanked McNamara for her care and professionalism in dealing with the case. Heller declined to comment on why the charges were withdrawn but confirmed the criminal case involving his client has now completely ended. Publication bans on evidence remain in effect in the three ongoing criminal cases now involving six other St. Michael’s students, all younger teens. “There is a complex and detailed investigation that ensues from that initial volley of police activity,” Heller said.A total of seven St. Michael’s students were charged by Toronto police last year following a series of incidents at the school, all involving members of the football team. The cases first drew police attention late last year after cellphone video of the alleged November 2018 gang sexual assault was shared on social media.The Star has viewed the 22-second video in which a you ...
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