A London man accused of deliberately setting a large Chatham affordable housing complex on fire has had his arson charge dropped unexpectedly.
The charge against Leonard Greason was withdrawn in Chatham court on Wednesday. Greason was facing a charge of arson with disregard for human life in connection with the arson at 99 McNaughton Avenue West in Chatham in August 2024.
His defence lawyer, Patricia Brown, said the Crown reassessed its case following her cross-examination of their witness during the first day of the arson trial last month and determined there was no "reasonable prospect of conviction" due to a lack of evidence.
Brown noted the prosecution's case had "significant issues", specifically regarding the fact that multiple people had access to the apartment in question.
The Crown's witness, Erin Ott, who also had her charge dropped unexpectedly last month on the day the arson trial began, testified that individuals, including herself, were accessing the unit in question through the balcony and the door.
"Consequently, there was no evidence that Mr. Greason had an exclusive opportunity to commit the arson," said Brown.
The trial was to resume on March 11 with Ott back on the stand to finish her cross-examination, but that won't happen now that the Greason case is closed.
The municipality previously reported that the fire at 99 McNaughton Avenue West in Chatham started in B Block on August 25, 2024, displacing approximately 100 residents, some for almost a year.
