Former B.C. Lion Josh Boden’s convictions for assaulting and obstructing a police officer after grabbing a woman’s buttocks will stand.
Boden lost his appeal of the convictions late last year but the written B.C. Supreme Court ruling was just released last week.
Vancouver Police had Boden under surveillance in September 2009 because he was a suspect in several sexual assaults in the downtown Vancouver ares. An undercover officer saw Boden approach a woman from behind and grab her rear end.
After the incident, when a constable and police dog approached him to arrest him, Boden tried to run.
A lengthy physical struggle ensued, which included the dog. Boden suffered 20 bites, but not before fighting with and striking two police officers, and shouting “What did I do? What did I do?”
It took five officers to eventually control Boden.
In December 2011, he was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault, as well as assault a police officer and obstructing a police officer.
He appealed the latter two charges on the grounds that police didn’t state the reasons for his arrest, which entitled him to resist as he did.
In his ruling, Associate Chief Justice Austin Cullen said the convictions should stand.
“In the particular circumstances of this case the appellant was advised ‘promptly’ of the reasons for his arrest,” wrote Cullen. “It follows that I dismiss the appeal.”
Boden, a backup wide receiver, made the Lions CFL team in 2007, but was released after being charged with domestic assault and robbery in 2008. Though the charges were dropped, the Lions did not re-sign him.
Boden was picked up by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats but cut after a single game.
Before he went pro, he played for the Canadian Junior Football League’s South Surrey Rams (now the Langley Rams), earning a slew of awards that earned him an invitation to the B.C. Lions training camp in 2005.
