WINNIPEG - A judge has acquitted a Winnipeg man accused of raping his girlfriend in a core-area crack house and strangling her with a coat hanger.
John Steele testified in his own defence and told court the 40-year-old victim fabricated the allegations after he broke off their relationship.
Court heard the woman met Steele over the phone while he was a prisoner in Headingley jail. When Steele was released in the spring of 2007, the two moved into Steele's mother's Spence Street home. Steele and the woman both described the home as a crack house.
Steele testified he broke up with the woman after receiving an ultimatum from his former girlfriend, who threatened to have him sent back to jail.
"Would I go so far as to say I believe Mr. Steele's version of events? No, I wouldn't," Justice John Menzies said. "But I am satisfied that his evidence might be true."
The alleged victim testified she told hospital medical staff she was the victim of a domestic assault. She made no mention of sexual assault.
Police did not formally interview her until January 2008.
"As time went on, it would appear the allegations got worse and worse," Menzies said. "I'm not convinced (the woman) didn't embellish."
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Dan Manning, the woman admitted she visited Steele when he was in custody on other charges, wrote to him and brought him money.
Steele remains in custody on an unrelated charge of breaching his probation.
dean.pritchard@sunmedia.ca
