Another adjournment in sex-assault case

A lawyer who was granted another adjournment in a sexual assault case has promised to take a step the next time the matter returns to court.

But while Greg White didn’t say Monday in Court of Queen’s Bench what that step would be, the Crown hopes it will be to set a date for trial.

The Crown wanted to set a date Monday for the accused, 32-yearold Trevor Pritchard, who faces several sex-related offences against four young girls. However, White said he needs more time to review disclosure with his client. He tried to do that on the weekend at the jail but the meeting was interrupted when a fight broke out and he had to leave.

Pritchard was charged Jan. 18 with sexual assault, touching for a sexual purpose a person under 16 years of age, abduction of a person under the age of 16, uttering threats, communicating with a person under 16 years of age to commit a sexual offence, and child luring to commit a sexual offence, in relation to one teenage girl.

Later the same month he was charged with sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon, sexual touching of a person under the age of 16 and child luring to commit a sexual-related offence, in relation to two more teenagers. Then in May court was told Pritchard had been charged in relation to a fourth girl.

The new charges have resulted in the delay of a bail hearing, which has been adjourned several times since it began in April.

The Crown is proceeding by direct indictment, which allows court to bypass a preliminary hearing and send the accused directly to trial.

The matter is back in court Aug. 28, at which time the judge said he wants to discuss a trial date.

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