Sexual assault charges against 3 UBC Thunderbirds football players stayed
Charges that were laid against three former University of British Columbia football players over an alleged sexual assault in Vancouver more than four years ago have been stayed.
On Wednesday, the Crown counsel in charge of the file concluded the charges against Treymont Levy, Trivel Pinto and Ben Cummings—who are all in their late 20s—no longer met the assessment standard, according to the B.C. Prosecution Service.
“Crown counsel looks into whether there is a substantial likelihood of conviction: and, if so, whether the public interest requires a prosecution,” BCPS spokesperson Dan McLaughlin told CTV News in an email Friday.
“If, at any point, the prosecutor concludes that this test is no longer met, a stay of proceedings is the appropriate course of action. That is what occurred here.”
The men, who all played for the UBC Thunderbirds prior to the 2018 incident were arrested in June 2021.
Authorities said they began their investigation in November 2018, after a woman called the University RCMP detachment in the early morning hours to report she had been sexually assaulted by three men.
Levy, 28, faced two charges, one count of sexual assault and another of voyeurism. Pinto, 27, and Cummings, 26, each faced one count of sexual assault.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An American soldier was arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, U.S. officials say
An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to U.S. officials. The soldier was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States, but travelled to Russia.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Competition Bureau launches inquiry into Lululemon over 'greenwashing' allegations
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched an inquiry into Vancouver-based Lululemon following a complaint from members of an environmental group.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to quash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc tabled legislation in the House of Commons on Monday proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Bill C-70 proposes to enact a new 'Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act.'