Gerald Regan, the former premier of Nova Scotia, has lost an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada and will face eight sex-related charges. The charges stem from alleged incidents dating to the 1960s and '70s.

Edward Greenspan, Regan's lawyer, argued that provincial Crown attorneys became so intent on convicting his client that they coaxed reluctant witnesses and tried to hand-pick a sympathetic judge.

But in a narrow decision -- 5 to 4 -- the Supreme Court justices ruled the charges can go ahead, saying they didn't feel there had been an abuse of process.

Regan, 73, faces seven charges involving females who ranged in age from 14 to 24 years at the time the alleged offences took place. The charges involve unwanted kissing and fondling. The former premier also faces one count of indecently assaulting a teenager.

Regan says he's disappointed in the decision. He had hoped to clear his name.

Now, it's up to the Crown to decide whether or not to proceed with the case. The lead prosecutor in the case says the wishes of the complainants will be given a lot of weight in deciding whether the charges proceed to trial.

Some complainants have indicated they're not eager to see the case go back to court and dredge up their past.

In a high-profile trial in 1998, a jury acquitted Regan on the more serious charges of rape, attempted rape and unlawful confinement.

The associate chief justice of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court tossed out nine other charges in 1998. At the time, Michael MacDonald ruled the Crown tainted the investigation by interviewing Regan's accusers before charges were laid.

But the charges were later reinstated when two of three judges in the Nova Scotia Appeal Court disagreed. The third judge upheld the stay, which opened for the way for Regan to take his case to the Supreme Court of Canada.