Sexual assault charge stayed against Waskesiu restaurant owner

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Waskesiu restaurant owner Dory Graae is no longer facing a sexual assault charge from this summer.

Court information shows Graae, who owns Pete’s Terrace and The Post, was charged on July 20 with sexually assaulting a woman between July 15 and July 19 in Waskesiu.

The complainant cannot be named due to a standard, court-ordered publication ban.

On Friday, the Crown issued a stay of proceedings, which means Graae’s charge will be withdrawn unless new information reopens the case within a year.

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The StarPhoenix sought comment from the Crown about why the charge was stayed, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

According to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada Deskbook, stays are issued when the Crown determines there isn’t a reasonable likelihood of conviction. Reasons include evidence admissibility, witness availability, reliability and credibility, as well as credible evidence that may favour the accused.

“Crown counsel must assess whether there is a reasonable prospect of conviction as soon as practicable, following charge referral by the investigative agency or the laying of charges. As the prosecution progresses, new evidentiary information or legal issues often emerge. Crown counsel must continually assess the reasonable prospect of conviction at every stage of the proceeding,” the policy states.

Providing a statement on his client’s behalf, defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle said “Mr. Graae fully co-operated with this investigation and provided definitive evidence of his innocence. The RCMP and the Crown Prosecutor’s Office made the right decision. He is innocent and a prolonged trial process would have been a waste of resources.”

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Graae, 52, was also charged with cocaine trafficking. Pfefferle confirmed his next appearance on that charge is set for Dec. 5 in Montreal Lake.

After his arrest, Graae was banned from Prince Albert National Park for “a period of up to one year.” Parks Canada said the decision was made under its administrative authorities.

The StarPhoenix confirmed on Tuesday that the ban remains in place.

“The decision to ban the individual from the national park will have no bearing on that individual’s current license, lease, or rental agreements with Parks Canada. It will be up to the individual to make arrangements, to ensure the continuity of their businesses during the period of their ban from the park,” Parks Canada wrote in an emailed statement back in August.

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