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“It would have me buy into the myths and stereotypes that Canadian courts have repeatedly and forcefully rejected. I cannot and will not subscribe to that line of reasoning. I won’t travel down that path. It’s been barred for many years, and for good reason.”

The woman Donlevy raped 14 years ago was in the gallery Thursday and sobbed as the verdict was read.

Donlevy, who stood in the dock, showed no emotion.

Photo by Matt Olson / Saskatoon StarPhoenix / Saskatoon

Speaking with reporters outside the courthouse, Crown prosecutor Cory Bliss said he was “very pleased” with the judge’s reasoning and that the woman who brought the charges against Donlevy “did admirably” in coming forward years after the incident had occurred.

“It needs to be clear that, in terms of sexual assault, people have the right to say no, and that relates to every aspect of sexual contact. Just because a person might agree to one form of touching, doesn’t mean they are consenting to other different forms of touching,” Bliss said.

Donlevy’s trial on the single count of sexual assault lasted three days at the beginning of September. The only witness who testified was the woman who had been raped.

Now 42 years old, she testified that she met Donlevy through an online dating site in 2004, when she was 28. She said they met for coffee on a hot summer’s afternoon and then went mini golfing, to a drive-in movie and to a club, where they danced. She said she felt intoxicated at the club and asked to go back to Donlevy’s place. Once there, she testified, she told Donlevy she felt sick and wanted to sleep. She said he led her to his bedroom, took off her clothes, forced her to perform oral sex on him and then had forced vaginal intercourse with her while she cried and told him she didn’t want to have sex.