A sexual interference charge involving allegations that a Toronto-area man sexually abused his own daughter was stayed after police failed for years to execute an arrest warrant, despite having information about where he could be found.
The man had been charged with sexual interference but failed to appear in court in November 2017, prompting a warrant for his arrest.
According to a case summary from UL Lawyers, police had information about his whereabouts, including his grandmother’s address, which was approximately a 20-minute drive from the courthouse. Yet the warrant was not executed.
The man continued living in the Greater Toronto Area and was reportedly unaware that the warrant remained active.
It wasn’t until May 2025, nearly eight years after the missed court appearance, that authorities caught up with him. When he returned from an overseas vacation through Toronto Pearson International Airport, border officers discovered the outstanding warrant.
But by then, the years-long delay had jeopardized the prosecution.
In July 2025, the Crown agreed to stay the case, acknowledging that the delay violated the accused’s Charter right to be tried within a reasonable time.
The outcome was rooted in the Supreme Court of Canada’s landmark R. v. Jordan ruling, which established presumptive ceilings for criminal cases. Cases in Superior Court generally have a 30-month ceiling, subject to deductions and exceptional circumstances.
The result was that the allegation that the man sexually interfered with his daughter was never tested at trial.
The accused is presumed innocent.
