Wortman faces three more breach charges
A former board member with the Calgary Homeless Foundation is facing three new charges of breaching bail conditions, as he awaits trial on child-pornography charges.
Robin Wortman will remain behind bars at least another week while he looks for a lawyer.
But Crown prosecutor Donna Spaner told court she will ask that Wortman’s custody be extended beyond that, as he is scheduled to go to trial a year from now.
“Mr. Wortman has an indictment in Court of Queen’s Bench, and the Crown’s given bail revocation (notice) on that indictment,” Spaner told provincial court Judge Terry Semenuk.
Wortman, 62, was arrested March 1, and charged with two breaches of his bail conditions.
The alleged breaches involve accusations he attended a meeting where it was reasonably expected minors would attend, and used electronic devices capable of accessing the internet.
On Thursday, three more allegations were added — a second allegation he used an electronic device with internet access, not to attend a cybercafe and not to seek employment or voluntary positions that involve being in a position of trust or authority over a minor.
Duty counsel Joel Livergant asked that Wortman’s breach allegations be adjourned a week to allow him opportunity to find a lawyer.
“Mr. Wortman is in the process of getting legal aid,” Livergant said.
Wortman was acquitted last September of allegations he sexually assaulted a homeless teen in Wortman’s Beltline apartment on Nov. 5 and 10, 2016.
But he still faces unrelated charges of sexual assault, sexual exploitation, trafficking and child pornography allegations, set to go to trial in a year.
The initial charges triggered his removal from the homeless foundation board.
Wortman, clad in remand overalls and appearing via closedcircuit TV, did not address court during his brief appearance.