Photo of Tori Stafford.Photo of Tori Stafford.
London

Rafferty Appeal Dismissed

An appeal for a new trial for the man convicted of murdering Victoria (Tori) Stafford has been dismissed in Toronto.

Michael Rafferty was found guilty of first degree murder, sexual assault, and kidnapping in 2012. The court heard that he and co-accused Terri-Lynne McClintic lured the 8-year-old girl into a car while she was walking home from school on April 8, 2009.

McClintic pleaded guilty to first degree murder in 2010 and is serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. She testified against Rafferty at his trial.

Rafferty's lawyer, Paul Calarco, filed documents with the Court of Appeal for Ontario arguing McClintic was an "unsavoury" main witness. He says the judge made several errors including failing to give a “sharp warning” to the jury against relying on McClintic’s testimony.

On Monday, Ontario's top court dismissed the appeal without even hearing from the Crown.

Woodstock Police Chief Bill Renton, who was the OPP's lead investigator in the Stafford case, was in the courtroom when the appeal was dismissed.

"We are all very pleased with the decision. It's been a long several years so it's good to have this resolved," Renton tells BlackburnNews.com. "It was a very thorough investigation, a very good prosecution and I firmly believe that people can say that justice has been served. Everybody is entitled to their day and I think justice has been served."

Renton adds he hopes the dismissal of the appeal will help Tori's parents, Rodney Stafford and Tara MacDonald.

"Hopefully they can have closure and keep moving forward with their lives. I got to know them, obviously, and of course my heart still goes out to them for their loss," he says.

During Rafferty's trial, McClintic told the jury that she delivered the fatal blows that killed Tori. She had originally told police it was Rafferty who killed Stafford. Rafferty claimed he was, at most, an accessory after the fact to murder.

However, the Crown argued because Rafferty and McClintic acted together, one was just as guilty as the other regardless of who murdered Tori.

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