A Newfoundland and Labrador judge has dismissed all charges against Robin McGrath, a former school principal alleged to have assaulted four students with special needs.
Crown attorney Dana Sullivan said provincial court Judge David Orr, in an oral decision today, cited inconsistencies in some Crown witnesses’ testimony and concluded the Crown had not established guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
McGrath was acquitted on four counts of assault and one count of uttering threats involving four students, ranging in age from kindergarten through Grade 6.
The charges stemmed from incidents alleged to have taken place between September 2017 and June 2018.
Sullivan said each of the assault charges involved multiple allegations, and all were dismissed.
Tom Johnson, a lawyer for McGrath, said the verdict was expected and its comes as a relief to his client.
“Certainly the future has got to look much better for him today now that this cloud has been lifted with the dismissal of all of the charges that were made against him,” Johnson told reporters at the St. John’s courthouse.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 2, 2021.