Australian professional surfer Mitch Coleborn is a free man after Canadian prosecutors dropped an indecent act charge against him that carried a six-month jail sentence.
In a surprise move on the eve of this week's scheduled trial on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, a decision was made not to pursue the charge against the 24-year-old from Maroochydore, Queensland.
Coleborn was arrested on October 15 last year after competing in the O'Neill Cold Water Classic event on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Authorities had alleged Coleborn, after a night of partying, exposed and fondled his genitals in front of a group of children and adults as they walked to a school in the morning.
Coleborn had pleaded not guilty to the indecent act charge in November.
If Coleborn had been convicted, his career as a globetrotting professional surfer may have been derailed.
He faced the prospect of his name being placed on Canada's national sex offenders registry and blocked from entering the US, where some of the most prestigious surfing tournaments are held in Hawaii and California.
But with the charge dropped, Coleborn has a clean record and can travel freely.
"It's as if he was never charged," crown prosecutor David Kidd told AAP.
The decision was made by Vancouver Island's top prosecutor after a review of the case.
"It went up to the regional crown counsel and upon further review of all the circumstances it was decided it did not meet the standards of approval for prosecution," Kidd said.
"Basically, it didn't meet the charge approval standards."
After his arrest, Coleborn was required to hand in his passport and remain within the province of British Columbia, but a judge later relaxed his bail conditions and returned his passport.
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