Charges stayed in Rob King ephedrine-shipping case

A Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador justice has ordered a stay of proceedings in the case against Rob King of Heavyweights Training Centre.

An emotional King embraced his partner after the decision was read.

King faced three charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, related to the alleged export of ephedrine.

He was charged in July 2013.

King's lawyer, Averill Baker, had filed an application to have the charges stayed against her client. She based her argument on a 2016 Supreme Court of Canada ruling about an accused's right to a speedy trial.

That top court ruling, known as R. v Jordan, imposed a deadline of 18 months for provincial court cases to be concluded. In Supreme Court, the deadline is 30 months.

It has resulted in many charges being stayed in courtrooms across the country.

Justice Valerie Marshall ordered the stay in the case against King Thursday afternoon. She told the court her written reasons for the decision would be filed later.

RCMP investigation dated back to 2012

King was the subject of an RCMP investigation related to the cross-border shipping of ephedrine out the country.

In 2012, the Mounties executed search warrants at his businesses and home.

The RCMP also intercepted dozens of packages sent via Canada Post as part of their investigation. In an earlier decision, Marshall had excluded that evidence, ruling that King's rights had been violated.

In a 2013 interview with CBC News, King was adamant the investigation was without substance.

"I've done nothing wrong, and I'm getting smeared everywhere for something I didn't do," he said at the time.