Yukon judge says former Speaker not guilty of sexual assault and assault

WHITEHORSE — Former Speaker of the Yukon legislative assembly David Laxton has been found not guilty of both sexual assault and assault.

Territorial Court Judge John Faulkner says in a written ruling that he found reasonable doubt to support the charges and questioned the complainant’s credibility.

Faulkner says he found the complainant to be an argumentative witness who was reluctant to concede any point she thought might detract from her view.

Laxton admitted during the trial that he hugged and kissed the woman twice on the lips when she met him at a Yukon government building in February 2016, but he denied the incident was sexual.