UBC Professor Testifies on Accuser's Retracted Police Statement in Galloway Trial

A University of British Columbia professor, Annabel Lyon, testified in the defamation trial of author Steven Galloway. She told the court that a former student who accused Galloway of assault initially gave a statement to the RCMP but later retracted it. According to Lyon, the woman feared the police would contact Galloway and felt unsafe.

Galloway is suing the accuser and several others for defamation regarding allegations of sexual and physical assault. The author has denied the claims, and a previous investigation by a former judge found the allegations to be unsubstantiated. While Galloway was fired from his position as creative writing chair, he later won an arbitration proceeding against the university.

The court also heard testimony regarding a 2015 incident where colleagues called 911 after Galloway reportedly made suicidal remarks. Lyon defended the call as an effort to keep Galloway safe, though Galloway has described his subsequent time in a U.S. hospital as a terrifying experience. Lyon stated that the events surrounding the call had been misinterpreted as malicious.

The defense for the accuser, known as A.B., is not attempting to prove the assaults occurred. Instead, the defense focuses on the fact that she reported the allegations. Lyon testified that she believed the suspension of Galloway was necessary to allow other potential complainants to feel safe coming forward during the university's investigation.