Jury can't reach sexual assault verdict in trial of man accused of brutalizing teen
Jury in Michael Kobylanski case can't reach verdict on 4 of 6 charges, finds him guilty of assault
A Halifax jury has found a local businessman guilty of assault, but could not reach a verdict on more serious charges that he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl who worked for him.
Michael Kobylanski, 41, faced six charges in all and was accused of threatening to kill the teen, using his belt to choke her and sexually assaulting her with a hammer. He went on trial this month.
On Thursday, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court jury said it could only reach a decision on two of the charges. It found Kobylanski guilty of assault and not guilty of choking. Sentencing for the assault charge will take place next month.
The four charges the jury couldn't reach a verdict on were sex assault, uttering threats, confinement and committing a sexual assault with a weapon.
Lawyers will go to court next week to find dates for a new trial on the four outstanding charges.
Woman said man was violent
Kobylanski lives in Halifax, but operated a business in Dartmouth, which is where the complainant worked. She testified that she agreed to be paid $50 a week in exchange for 25 hours of work and having sex with Kobylanski.
The alleged offences happened in 2014 and 2015. The woman was 17 at the time and Kobylanski was in his late-30s.
CBC News is not identifying the business out of concern it may identify the complainant.
She testified the relationship with Kobylanski turned violent and he wrapped her in a vapour barrier, tied a belt around her neck, sexually assaulted her with a hammer and threatened to kill her.
Kobylanski denied allegations
Kobylanski denied that sexual favours were part of the job's requirements and denied he assaulted the girl.
He testified he paid the girl $10 an hour for five hours of work a week, but eventually upped her hours to 25 per week and paid her $250.
Kobylanski has a prior criminal conviction and served a prison sentence, but the details of what he did were withheld so as not to taint jurors' deliberations.
In 1995 in Ontario, Kobylanski attacked a 14-year-old girl who'd rejected his sexual advances. According to parole documents, Kobylanski smashed the girl in the head with a large rock and then sexually assaulted her.