The sexual assault trial
involving a Halifax man is entering it's final stages.
Both sides in the
case presented their closing arguments this afternoon in the high profile
Supreme Court trial in Bridgewater.
John Leonard MacKean is facing two
charges including sexual assault and another relating to
prostitution.
MacKean denies the boy was chained up when he visited the
cabin on September 20, 2012.
MacKean also testified he would have helped
the 16 year old if he knew the boy was being held against his
will.
However, the 64 year old admitted
to touching the teenagers genitals while he was at the cabin in Upper Chelsea to
get a massage.
The Crown has submitted DNA evidence that matches
MacKean.
The
defence argues the case comes down to credibility of witnesses and whether the
victim was telling the truth while under oath due to varying versions of his
story.
The jury will begin it's deliberations after it gets instructions
from the judge tomorrow morning.
Getting some cash out of the ATM
for the weekend? As you count it, make sure you take a close look at those
bills--because fakes can be harder to spot than you might think.
Allan
Paquet of the Bank of Canada was on hand at the Fraud Prevention expo at Market
Square. He tells Tide News the new polymer bills are harder to fake, but not
impossible.
The time-tested way to check a bill is to hold it up to a
light source, like a window--here are images imbedded in the bill that won't be
there if it's fake. As well, the new bills have raised ink around the number of
the bill's denomination.
As for the above bills--the ten
on the bottom is the fake one, although it's only apparent when you hold it up
to a light source and compare its texture with the genuine bill, above.
Saint John MP Rodney Weston says
he is saddened by Jim Flaherty's departure as Federal Finance Minister. Weston
says Flaherty had a real affinity for Saint John but his replacement, Joe Oliver
also knows what the local economic needs are.
Weston says Oliver has been to
Saint John several times in his previous job as Natural Resources Minister when
he spoke in favour of the proposed Energy East pipeline.
The academics with the New
Brunswick Energy Institute are credible but Provincial Green Party leader David
Coon doesn't think the institute itself has any credibility in the eyes of the
public. This, as the Institute launches a study into the impact of shale gas
exploration on groundwater so whether its findings will carry any weight with
New Brunswickers or change any minds remains to be seen.
The Energy Institute is a
creation of the Alward Government and its reputation took a hit with the well
publicised resignation of Professor Louis LaPierre over his academic
qualifications.
A preliminary report from the
Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. on the effect of shale gas
exploration on groundwater is expected later this year.
After Draw 15 at the Ford World
Women's Curling Championships, Canada is alone at 8 and 1 in the
standings.
Korea beat the US 8-6, Russia downed Switzerland 8-5, Germany
beat Latvia 6-4 and Sweden soundedly defeating China 10 to 5.
Russia,
Switzerland and Sweden are all 8 and 2, Korea is 7 and 3 while China sits at 6
and 4.
Today, Scotland takes on the US while Canada plays China and
tonight the Homan rink takes on Sweden.
A 64 year old Halifax man charged
with sexual assault is testifying today during his Supreme Court trial in
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
John Leonard MacKean says he
would have helped the teenage boy who was chained up and blindfolded if he had
known he was being held against his will.
MacKean is accused of paying
to perform sexual acts on the boy while he was chained up and
blindfolded.However, the 64 year old denies
those charges and says he was duped into going to the cabin by Wayne
Cunningham.
Cunningham was one of the main
figures in the kidnapping and confinement of the 16 year old in Upper
Chelsea.
MacKean also stated he never discussed paying to perform sexual
acts on the boy.
The crown will have an
opportunity to question MacKean later today.
A 12 member jury is expected to
begin its deliberations later today or tomorrow.
A bit of a price break for
drivers after the weekly setting.Self serve regular is selling for $1.34.3 a litre, down by just half a cent a
litre.Diesel
will cost you less at $1.46.7 a litre. The maximum price has gone down by two
cents a litre.The maximum price for heating oil
has also dropped by almost 2 cents a litre to stand at $1.29.3 and there has
been another big drop in the maximum price of propane. We're talking just over 4
and a half cents a litre to $1.20.4.
