Jian Ghomeshi trial: Former CBC radio host signs peace bond, Crown drops sex assault charge

Former CBC Radio host JianGhomeshino longer faces any criminal charges after signing a peace bond and apologizing at Toronto's Old City Hall courthouse this morning, leading the prosecution to withdraw the final count of sexual assault he was to be tried on in June.

• What is a peace bond? Common in criminal cases, lawyer says
• Jian Ghomeshi found not guilty on choking and sex assault charges

The 48-year-old apologized to complainant Kathryn Borel, who waived the publication ban on her name, saying that he regrets that his actions made her feel uncomfortable in the workplace.

The court heard that Ghomeshi has been seeing a therapist for 18 months and will continue to do so.

"No workplace friendship or creative environment excuses this sort of behaviour, especially when there's a power imbalance as there was with Ms. Borel," Ghomeshi told the court.

His mother and sister were sitting in the courtroom and he apologized to them, and his other supporters, as well.

Borel, whose complaint dated back to 2008, told reporters that she wanted to avoid the stress of a trial and felt that the apology would be an acknowledgement of wrongdoing.

"I think we all want this to be over, but it won't be until he admits to everything that he's done," she said on the courthouse steps.

The former Q employee also slammed the public broadcaster in her remarks, saying that the concerns she brought to her superiors were ignored at the time.

It was only after CBC fired Ghomeshi in October 2014 that the organization launched an independent investigation into the allegations surrounding the host's behaviour at work.

The CBC also issued a statement at the conclusion of the trial Wednesday.

"As we said in April of 2015, the incidents that came to our attention as it relates to Mr. Ghomeshi's conduct in our workplace were simply unacceptable," CBC spokesman ChuckThompson said. "We apologized then and we do again today."

He said that CBC has since adopted new human resources training for managers and employees and launched a harassment and bullying helpline.

Ghomeshi was acquitted in March of all charges in his first trial involving three other complainants.

A peace bond is an order from a court that typically involves keeping good behaviour and a prohibition on contacting the complainant, lawyers told CBC.The signing of a peace bond is not an admission of having committed a crime.

Judge William Horkinsacquitted Ghomeshi of four counts of sexual assault and one count of choking to overcome resistance on March 24, in a scathing decision in which the judge accused all three complainants of lying or trying to conceal evidence from the court.

Judge Timothy Lipson presidedover Wednesday'shearing in the Ontario Court of Justice.

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