A pot dealer has been acquitted of manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death in connection to the fatal overdose of a young nightclub hostess in his downtown Toronto condo almost six years ago.

The central question at the trial was whether the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Maxwell Johnson, 32, provided the heroin, or a drug that contained heroin, that caused the death of Alyshia Comtois-Arbour and the bodily harm to Tatyana Singh.

In a 19-page decision, Superior Court Justice Kelly Byrne said she could not conclude with any certainty that the heroin came from Johnson. She also found him not guilty of causing bodily harm to Singh.

“At the end of the day, I find myself left with more questions than answers,” Byrne wrote.

“I do know with certainty that this particular evening ended with one young woman tragically and senselessly losing her life, and the other being hospitalized. In these circumstances, the sadness can be overwhelming. The desire to assign blame and bring closure is strong. As a person and a parent, I understand this. As a judge, I remind myself that emotions like this can play no role in my decision making.”

Comtois-Arbour and Singh, both in their 20s, worked as hostesses for a promotion company. They attended venues to mingle with customers and encourage them to drink.

“As the evidence evolved, it became apparent that both these young women were regular users of cocaine and alcohol, which were typically provided to them free of charge. This all seemed to be a normal part of the club lifestyle that they were living,” the judge wrote.

On Jan. 14, 2014, they were working at a King Street West bar where they consumed alcohol and cocaine during the evening. They attended an after-party, and then went to Johnson’s condo on Victoria Street where they continued to drink and, after asking for cocaine, snorted a small amount provided by Johnson.

A witness present at Johnson’s that evening testified the two women made several trips together to the washroom there and at the after-party. The judge said that evidence was important because it raised the possibility they were engaging in further drug use. “It is clear from a common sense standpoint that they were not using the facilities for natural reasons.”

At 8:07 a.m., Johnson called 911 to report that both Singh and Comtois-Arbour were unconscious and unresponsive. Both were taken to hospital. Singh made a full recovery. Comtois-Arbour, whose father is a retired RCMP officer, never regained consciousness and was taken off life support on Feb. 2.

A pathologist testified Comtois-Arbour died from complications of combined heroin and ethanol toxicity. Cocaine was found in her system but it did not play a role in her death, the judge wrote.

Johnson admitted providing the cocaine, but not the heroin. Police seized 2.58 grams of heroin from his kitchen cabinet — which Johnson denied possessing.

Johnson also admitted taking $54,000 in drug money and hiding it in the trunk of a car. The judge stated that given those circumstances, why wouldn’t he have attempted to get rid of the heroin?

The judge had harsh words for the evidence of Nicholas Adeyemi, who was also present at Johnson’s condo that evening. His “inconsistent” evidence about the drugs consumed — and his version of events after that night — led Byrne to conclude he has “disrespect for the justice system.”

“It is hard to imagine a more unreliable and incredible witness,” the judge said.

Johnson’s lawyer, Leora Shemesh, argued the heroin could have belonged to Adeyemi — which he adamantly denied.

Calling it “highly suspicious,” the judge noted the fact Adeyemi quickly exited condo when the young women were in respiratory distress.

Johnson was convicted of possession of pot for the purposes of trafficking and possession of $54,000 seized by police that was proceeds of crime. Further, he was found guilty of trafficking in cocaine by providing less than a gram of cocaine to Comtois-Arbour and Singh.

In an email Monday, Shemesh wrote the case is a cautionary tale about the dangers of being a young person in the entertainment industry — where synthetic drugs appear to be prevalent and incredibly available.

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“Those who are engaged in sharing drugs with one another with absolutely no knowledge as to the contents of those drugs are vulnerable to their effects,” she wrote.

“More significantly, they now also risk the potential of being prosecuted for any consequences that may flow from their use. Finding the right balance between criminal culpability and the harsh realities of today’s drug scene is an ongoing and very real challenge for law enforcement.”

Johnson is “elated” about his acquittal but remains saddened for the Comtois-Arbour family’s loss, Shemesh said.