Former Tory campaign worker not guilty of uttering threat

A former campaign worker for a federal Conservative candidate in Windsor was found not guilty Wednesday of uttering a threat against current Essex MP Jeff Watson.

The case involved a statement allegedly made by Nick Kouvalis in 2005 in what the Windsor Star reported as a "fit of anger" over a fundraising barbecue Peter MacKay, now the foreign affairs minister, was to attend.

Kouvalis was working as campaign manager for Tory Rick Fuschi in the riding of Windsor-Tecumseh at the time. He had worked onWatson's campaign in a prior election.

During the trial, two other campaign workers testified Kouvalissaid if he could killWatson "with my bare hands and get away with it, I would."

Much of the case concerned whether the statement was made in jest or was more serious.

Justice Lloyd Dean ruled the Crown did not prove there was any intent behind the words, adding they were said in the heat of the moment as sometimes happens between co-workers.