Jodi Henrickson’s ex-boyfriend Gavin Arnott charged with assaulting woman in Alta.

The ex-boyfriend of missing B.C. teenager Jodi Henrickson was recently charged with assaulting a woman in Alberta, but the charges were withdrawn due to an unco-operative witness, CTV News has learned.

Court documents show Gavin Arnott was accused of assault, assault with a weapon and mischief under $5,000 in connection with an incident near Drayton Valley, Alta., back in August.

Retired RCMP officer Peter Cross, who helped investigate Henrickson’s disappearance, told CTV News the alleged victim was Arnott’s common-law partner.

Arnott was due to appear in Drayton Valley provincial court on Nov. 19 to enter a plea before a “key witness declined to participate” in the case, the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service confirmed in an email.

“As such, there was as no reasonable likelihood of a conviction and the charges were withdrawn,” the ACPS said.

According to court documents, Arnott was accused of assaulting the woman and using a “filled toy bin” as a weapon against her. He also allegedly damaged a coffee table and a toy airplane she owned.

Henrickson documentary in the works

Cross is currently working with Studio BRB, a Vancouver-based production company, on the documentary “Finding Jodi,” which delves into the Henrickson case.

The 17-year-old Squamish resident disappeared in 2009 after attending a party on Bowen Island. Arnott, now 35, had been charged with assaulting Henrickson months before she went missing, when they were dating.

“For several weeks we have been endeavouring to speak with Gavin, who was a person of interest to the police in 2009 and remains a person of interest in our documentary investigation into the Jodi Hendrickson missing person case on Bowen Island,” said Studio BRB in a statement.

“He has confirmed to the police and the media that he was the last person to see her alive.”

Arnott’s name resurfaced in the media again in 2011 after he was charged with sexual interference and possession of child pornography.

Court documents detailed how Arnott allegedly contacted a 14-year-old girl and had sex with her. The age of consent in Canada is 16.

Arnott was convicted of sexual interference the following year and sentenced to 34 days in jail, while the child pornography charge was withdrawn. He was also handed an 18-month probation order, an 18-month firearms prohibition, and a 10-year placement on the national sex offender registry.

He later received another 30 days for breach of an undertaking for violating his conditions, according to North Vancouver provincial court.