Crown stays sex assault charges against former Steinbach high school teacher

The Crown has stayed sex assault charges against a former Manitoba high school teacher and coach.

Crown attorneys made the decision in the case of David Bueti, who originally faced five counts of sexual assault and three counts of sexual interference.

Earlier this year, RCMP said six female students at a high school in Steinbach, southeast of Winnipeg, had come forward to say they had been assaulted.

Some of the charges had been stayed earlier this year and the remainder were stayed this week.

This week’s decision came shortly after the judge rejected a motion that would have allowed her to consider so-called similar-fact evidence, where evidence from one complainant is used to corroborate that of another.

The Crown decided that a conviction was no longer likely.

“The judge’s written reasons and a further review of the testimony at trial made it clear that the Crown no longer had a reasonable likelihood of conviction. As a result, the Crown entered a stay of proceedings,” a written statement Wednesday from the province’s Communications and Engagement branch read.