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Skipp Anderson’s ordeal is over.
The former owner of Pink Lounge & Nightclub in Saskatoon was acquitted of sexual assault at Court of Queen’s Bench Wednesday.
This was the second time he was tried.
Anderson was accused of having sex with a man without his consent during a drunken hot tub party at his house in 2016.
In her decision, Justice Alison Rothery said the Crown failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the man did not consent to have sex with Anderson.
“This was a situation where there may be limited memory by a complainant, but that does not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused committed a criminal offence,” said defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle. “We have evidence of analytical thinking, movement up and down, dexterity.”
Justice Rothery noted in her decision the victim had the ability to move to an upstairs bedroom, make a phone call and discuss the interaction with the accused afterwards.
Crown Prosecutor Kathy Grier said she was disappointed, but not surprised by the outcome, noting consent cases are often difficult to land convictions for.
“She had a reasonable doubt about whether there was consent so that leads to an acquittal,” Grier said.
“Even when you have a situation, such as here. Everyone accepts that the victim was unconscious for a large portion of this. That still leaves a doubt because nobody knows for sure what happened.”
Anderson did not speak after the verdict, but Pfefferle said his client was relieved after what’s been a “very difficult case on his family.”
Anderson was found guilty by a jury in 2018 and sentenced to 30-months in prison.
The conviction was overturned in March of last year by the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal.
