Convicted voyeur gets bail on sex-related charges

A 30-year-old man has been granted bail on charges alleging sexual contact with a young person and a breach of his conditional sentence, imposed last year on convictions for repeatedly videotaping unsuspecting women undressing in tanning salons.

Harley Zane Irwin was handed the 12-month conditional sentence at a Saskatoon court in November, having pleaded guilty to 19 counts of voyeurism.

He has since been accused of committing offences against a girl under 16, charged with two counts each of sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching, as well as breaching his conditional sentence.

The allegations date between May 1 and June 10 and are said to have occurred at or near Regina and a small community in southern Saskatchewan.

On Monday, Irwin appeared at Regina provincial court for a bail hearing, following which Judge Marylynne Beaton decided the man could be released on a range of conditions.

Among those conditions are that Irwin pay $4,000 cash bail, maintain a curfew, be assessed and take treatment for sexual offending as directed, and not possess devices that can access the internet.

Details of evidence heard and submissions made at the bail hearing cannot be reported because of a court-imposed publication ban.

Irwin returns to court later this month.

According to information presented at his Saskatoon sentencing, Irwin has been diagnosed with a sex addiction resulting from a childhood trauma. Court heard he felt he was unable to control the impulse the led him to videotape the women at the tanning salons, offences that occurred between November 2014 and February 2015.

At that time, court heard Irwin was taking treatment for his sex addiction, and was ordered to continue as part of his conditional sentence.

A psychologist deemed an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of sex addiction had told the court that Irwin was making strides in his treatment.