Judge dismisses sexual assault case against Trailer Park Boys star Mike Smith

Mike Smith, the actor behind the character Bubbles from the Trailer Park Boys, poses for photos in 2009. (Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press)Social SharingA Nova Scotia judge dismissed a sexual assault case against Trailer Park Boys actor Mike Smith on Thursday, as the complainant tells CBC News she decided the emotional toll of testifying would be too difficult to endure.

The three-day trial of Smith, known for playing Bubbles on the comedy series, was set to begin on Thursday in provincial court in Dartmouth, N.S.

But the Crown offered no evidence in the case, so the defence requested the case be dismissed. Judge Jill Hartlen dismissed it.

Smith, 54, was charged in October 2025 with sexual assault in relation to an alleged assault on Dec. 30, 2017, in Dartmouth.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge in February.

CBC spoke with the complainant, who cannot be named due to a publication ban on her identity, on Wednesday.

In a statement, she said the trial was dismissed "because I am unwilling to sacrifice my mental health" by testifying.

The statement says evidence in sexual assault cases "hinges almost exclusively on the testimony of the victim."

"This process retraumatizes survivors, subjecting their experiences to dissecting public scrutiny. Meanwhile, the accused seldom speak; they are exempt from the pain of taking the stand, giving testimony, and facing cross-examination," the statement reads.

The Crown prosecutor declined to confirm Thursday that the complainant had refused to testify.

The complainant said in her statement that since the burden of evidence relies so heavily on the character of the witness, victims face "character assassination" during cross-examinations, and defence lawyers can even "insinuate that victims played a part in the crime — or deserved it."

"I am intimidated by a system, despite it being 2026, where defence attorneys still use tactics that blame victims for surviving and reporting sexual assaults," the statement continues.

"I know what happened that night in 2017. My stepping away from the case does not change the facts of that incident. Rather, it is a gesture of reclaiming my agency after investigating options within a system that strips me of my voice."

A statement issued Thursday morning by Trailer Park Boys Incorporated said now that the court matter has concluded, Smith is resuming his responsibilities with the company. He previously held the role of managing director.

N.S. volunteer fire departments sound alarm over fuel costs

'A trip down memory lane': N.S. man reunited with wallet lost 51 years ago

Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

Get the latest top stories from across Nova Scotia in your inbox every weekday.