CANADA
London Free Press
By Jane Sims, The London Free Press
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
The charismatic, controversial preacher at a former London church has lost his final appeal of sexual assault convictions.
Royden Wood, 65, led the now-defunct Ambassador Church at King and Adelaide streets. Druing his tenure, there were allegations — and ultimately criminal convictions — related to his cult-like leadership style and questionable marriage counselling.
The Ontario Court of Appeal rejected his appeal of his convictions by a jury in November 2011 and the six-year sentence dealt to him in April 2012.
In a brief decision, the court agreed with Superior Court Justice Dougald McDermid’s decision not to move the trial to another community and found the judge’s instructions to the jury were fair and balanced.
It dismissed Wood’s contention the verdicts were unreasonable, given the jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting three complainants, but acquitted him of charges involving two others.
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