A judge was about to deliver the verdict in the case of an education worker accused of assaulting a student with special needs, but a last minute interruption changed the plan.
Corey Stibbard was supposed to find out the verdict on Tuesday, but before the judge could do that, someone walked into the courtroom claiming to have important information.
“A member of the public came forward and has some information to give to the Crown and I and in the circumstances it was something I felt I needed to investigate before we could have the matter continue,” Mitch Eisen, Stibbard’s defence lawyer says.
The defence has been given three weeks to investigate the new information and determine its next move.
“We're back just to be spoken to for me to advise the court whether I’ll be bringing in an application to re-open the case or not.”
Stibbard is accused of assaulting Riley Dooley, a student with autism who was badly injured on a field trip in 2014. Stibbard has pleaded not guilty.
Stibbard first said Dooley slipped and fell, but then claimed Dooley attacked him three times, and that he blocked one of Dooley's kicks with his foot. The incident left Dooley with two broken bones.
Dooley's parents were disappointed to learn the judge would not hand down his verdict just yet.
“We've waited this long and you keep looking forward to the next date,” says Patty Dooley. “We were hoping this would be the end of it. So you can sort of move on from here.”
Stibbard will be back in a Barrie courtroom on Nov. 10.
