Sexual assault case against Chatham-Kent officer delayed

CHATHAM A Chatham-Kent police officer was not in a Chatham courtroom when a matter involving a sexual assault allegation against him was dealt with briefly on Tuesday.

Const. Kenneth Miller’s lawyer Glen Donald told the court he needs time to receive some disclosure from the out-of-town Crown attorney that is dealing with the charges of sexual assault and breach of trust against Miller in connection to an alleged incident on May 4, 2013, involving a 33-year-old woman.

The matter was adjourned to May 2 and includes a publication ban to protect the identity of the complainant.

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, the province’s police watchdog agency, has twice charged Miller, 46, with sexual assault and breach of trust.

He is also charged in connection to an alleged incident on Aug. 23, 2015, which is the first incident the SIU investigated involving Miller. The SIU investigates police actions resulting in civilian death or injury, and has the power to lay criminal charges.

Miller is scheduled to appear in court on June 1 regarding the charges stemming from the August 2015 incident.

According to previously published reports, the SIU found that around 2 a.m. on Aug. 23, 2015, a 23-year-old woman encountered a Chatham-Kent police officer.

She was reportedly driven in a marked cruiser to a parking lot in the where she was allegedly sexually assaulted.

The officer was suspended from duty four days later and was further charged under the Police Services Act with discreditable conduct.