Former military leader Haydn Edmundson found not guilty of sexual assault

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 head of the military’s personnel in 2021 when he was accused of assaulting another member of the navy during a 1991 deployment. 

The complainant, Stephanie Viau, testified during the trial that she was 19 years old and in the navy’s lowest rank at the time of the alleged assault, while Edmundson was an older officer. 

Edmundson, who pleaded not guilty and testified that he never had sexual contact with Viau, shook his lawyer’s hand after the verdict was announced.

Justice Matthew Webber read his entire decision to the court this morning, concluding that the Crown did not meet the standard of proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt. 

Webber cited concerns with the complainant’s memory of what happened more than 30 years ago, and a lack of evidence to corroborate her account. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2024.