Trailer Park Boys star Mike Smith has reportedly been charged with sexual assault in Canada.
According to CBC News, Smith, 54, was charged in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on October 2 in connection with an alleged assault that took place on December 30, 2017, in Dartmouth. Smith has been ordered not to communicate with the alleged victim or visit their school, workplace or home for the time being.
Us Weekly has reached out for comment.
A statement from the Trailer Park Boys team confirmed that Smith had “stepped away” from his role as managing director of their production company, Trailer Park Boys Inc.
“We are aware of the allegation concerning Mike Smith dating back to 2017 and take such matters seriously,” a Trailer Park Boys Inc. statement read. “We recognize how difficult an allegation of this nature is for all involved. Out of respect for the legal process, we will not comment further on the case.”
Smith played Bubbles in more than 100 episodes of Trailer Park Boys since its premiere in April 2001, in addition to reprising his role in four feature-length spinoff movies and Netflix’s Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series. (The original Trailer Parker Boys show was itself a spinoff of filmmaker Mike Clattenburg’s short films.)
In April, Deadline reported that Smith and other veteran Trailer Park Boys cast members were reuniting to make season 13 after a 7-year hiatus. Despite Smith’s legal trouble, a Trailer Park Boys Inc. representative told CBC News that the production team were still “focused on delivering the long-awaited 13th season for our fans.”
Smith was previously arrested in Los Angeles in April 2016 on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic battery and released several hours later after posting $20,000 bail. He was accused of pinning a female friend, Georgia Ling, against a wall during an argument.
Smith strenuously denied the allegations, saying in a statement at the time: “Georgia is a friend of mine and we had a loud and heated dispute. That is all. At no time did I assault her. I am not guilty of the misdemeanour charged against me.”
In the aftermath of his arrest, Smith’s longtime costar Lucy DeCoutere announced that she was quitting her Trailer Park Boys role. (DeCoutere had been part of the sitcom’s ensemble cast since 2001, playing a character also named Lucy.)
“If I find out that somebody is abusive, I cut them out of my life. It’s very easy,” DeCoutere, 55, tweeted in April 2016. “I have resigned from Trailer Park Boys.” (She later said there were “no bad feelings” between her and the Trailer Park Boys cast.)
Ling, the alleged victim in the case, released a statement in April 2016 to deny that there had been any abuse.
“Mike and I did indeed have a heavy argument but it saddens me the way things are being reported and the way it was handled by the police,” she said. “At no point did I feel I was in danger, otherwise I would’ve called the police myself, which I did not. The police were called by others not present in the room who mistakenly perceived the argument to be something other than what it was. When the officers arrived I tried to assure them there was no real issue, but they proceeded to arrest Mike.”
Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office spokesperson Frank Mateljan confirmed to CBC News in May 2016 that no charges would be pursued “due to [a] lack of sufficient evidence.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).