By Keith Lacey
Even though he didn?t believe the accused?s version of events, Justice John Poupore acquitted a man charged with severely beating another man outside a Sudbury bar 18 months ago.
Sean Pickford, 24, pleaded not guilty to assault causing bodily harm for an incident outside the former Ralph?s Sports Bar at closing time Sept. 13, 2000.
Four days later, Pickford was charged with stabbing another man outside a downtown bar. He remains in custody on that charge. No date has been set for his trial on aggravated assault charges.
Pickford also faces a trial Sept. 5 on charges of obstructing justice by intimidating witnesses set to testify against him in relation to the stabbing incident.
The victim in the Sept. 13, 2000 incident suffered a broken nose, serious and permanent damage to his jaw and teeth and numerous cuts. after Witnesses said he was ?sucker punched? at least once and kicked in the head two or three times.
Even though Pickford was not a good witness, Poupore said considering all the circumstances, he was not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that it was Pickford who caused the assault.
?Sean Pickford was not an impressive or convincing witness,? said Poupore. ?From his evidence, it would be difficult to believe his version of events or to be left with a reasonable doubt of his guilt.
?However, having cautioned myself regarding the frailties of identification evidence and considering the entirety of the evidence, including the defence witnesses, I am not convinced? Pickford is guilty.
Pickford testified he didn?t throw a punch or kick anyone and was assaulted himself while trying to break up a fight between his friend Norm Pelletier and another young man.
He was grabbed by a bouncer, sucker punched and then tackled before falling down some stairs, said Pickford.
His friend Wayne Hollis testified it was he who kicked Taylor once in the head during a fight Taylor initiated.
Hollis also testified it was he, not Pickford, who was wearing a red ball cap backwards and sporting a goatee the night in question.
Pickford denied throwing any punches or kicking anyone.
Crown attorney Kenrick Abbott asked Pickford why he ran away from police when they tried to arrest him three weeks after this incident.
Pickford said he ?panicked? because he thought he?d be denied bail, even though the only charge he was facing was breaching a bail condition to stay away from his brother and remain at home.
?I knew I wouldn?t get bail and I didn?t want to go back to jail,? said Pickford.
Pickford was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant after being charged with attempted murder in relation to the stabbing incident. Pickford went missing for several months, but turned himself into police in Alberta Feb. 18. He has been in custody at the Sudbury District Jail since.
The charge in that incident has been reduced to aggravated assault.
