Closing submissions continued today in St. John’s provincial court in the trial of accused sex offender Tony Humby.
Humby, who has plead not guilty to the 72 charges against him, sat quietly in the courtroom – only breaking his forward gaze to sip on water.
The day started with defence lawyer Mark Gruchy’s closing arguments. Crown prosecutor Deidre Badcock began her submissions in the afternoon.
Gruchy questioned whether the accusations against Humby could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt given that witness statements changed over time.
Gruchy also argued “reasoning prejudice,” which means that just because a person did something wrong, doesn’t mean they are guilty of a criminal offence.
Badcock meanwhile believes all the charges against Humby should “stand on their own,” and that he be found guilty.
She noted that the victims who testified come from troubled backgrounds, and she argued that Humby “weaponized” that vulnerability, using it against them. That, Badcock argued, does not make their testimony any less believable.
She says Humby held things over his victims’ heads – such as booze, money and drugs, and making them feel like they had no choice but to engage in sexual activity with him.
Closing submissions continue in St. John’s provincial court Wednesday morning.
