Former military leader Haydn Edmundson found not guilty of sexual assault

By Sarah Ritchie and Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press, September 16, 2024.

Former Vice Admiral Haydn Edmundson (right) arrives at the courthouse in Ottawa on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA — An Ottawa judge has found former Vice Admiral Haydn Edmundson not guilty of sexual assault and committing an indecent act, concluding a trial that began in February. Edmundson was chief of military personnel in 2021 when he was accused of assaulting another member of the Navy during a deployment in 1991. Plaintiff Stephanie Viau testified during the trial that she was 19 and in the Navy's lowest rank at the time of the alleged assault, while Edmundson was a senior officer. Edmundson, who pleaded not guilty and testified he never had sexual contact with Viau, shook his lawyer's hand after the verdict was announced. Judge Matthew Webber read his entire decision to the court this morning, concluding that the prosecution failed to meet the standard of proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Webber cited concerns about the plaintiff's memory of what happened more than 30 years ago and a lack of evidence to support her testimony. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2024. 8
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