A B.C. Supreme Court Justice found two women not guilty Friday of forcing another woman to pay off a drug debt by selling her sexual services.
Justice Ron Tindale had "grave suspicions" that Angelina Louise Hammerstrom and Marie Percilla Lincoln had committed crimes against the woman, but found Crown prosecution was unable to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
At issue was the credibility of the complainant, whose name is protected by a court-ordered publication ban, and Tindale outlined numerous inconsistencies in her testimony, particularly when compared to the statements she gave police.
Little if any evidence to support her story was found at either of the scenes where the woman said she was held captive, Tindale found. There also appeared opportunities where the woman could have simply walked away from her alleged captors but did not do so, he also found.
Tindale noted the woman's addiction to heroin and possible troubles with her memory due to a brain injury meant her testimony had to be treated with caution.
Kidnapping, human trafficking, extortion and unlawful confinement were among the charges the accused were facing.
Hammerstrom and Lincoln let out gasps of relief and hugged their lawyers up on hearing the verdict at the end of a decision that took more than 1 1/4 hours to read out. Testimony was heard over 18 days, beginning in mid-January.
