Surrey assault convictions from five years ago cannot be appealed

Connor Madden cannot appeal his convictions for aggravated assault and assault with a weapon more than five years after he was found guilty by a Surrey judge. A higher court judge denied his request for more time. Madden was sentenced to 16 months in prison in May 2021 and filed his notice of appeal in June 2026. The case was heard by the Court of Appeal for British Columbia in Vancouver.

In her reasons for judgment, Justice Sheri Donegan said Madden had not established special circumstances warranting an extension, and dismissed the application. She said his proposed grounds had little merit and largely reflected disagreement with the trial judge’s assessment of the evidence and the outcome. Granting more time would not be in the interests of justice, she said. Madden also failed to show a bona fide intention to appeal within the applicable timeframe or provide a satisfactory explanation for the significant delay, factors that weighed heavily against his application.

The convictions stem from an incident at a crowded pub in July 2019, when Madden threw a glass at a woman’s face, causing serious injuries. During his three-day trial, Madden testified that he had only poured his drink in her direction while “projectiles” were being thrown at him. Under cross-examination, however, he conceded that the glass might have slipped from his hand and accidentally struck the woman.