Trial date set for man charged with sex assault

A 50-year-old Raymond man charged with four counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference is set to stand trial, but not for another 11 months.

The accused, who can’t be named to protect the identity of the complainants, was arraigned Monday in Lethbridge Court of Queen’s Bench, where his trial was scheduled for two weeks beginning Nov. 4, 2019.

The man was committed to stand trial last month following the conclusion of a two-day preliminary hearing, held to determine whether there is enough evidence to warrant a trial, and during which court heard from three Crown witnesses, all complainants in the case.

Although evidence and testimony presented during the hearing cannot be published, police initially reported in January that they charged the accused following allegations of sexual assaults in the 1980s and 1990s.

RCMP said in September 2016 they were contacted by a woman who said she had been sexually abused as a child by a man known to her. The Picture Butte RCMP began an investigation into the allegations and additional women came forward to report they had also been assaulted.

The accused, who previously elected to be tried by a Court of Queen’s Bench judge without a jury, also faces similar charges from his youth in relation to the same complainants, as well as one other one. He previously pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial in youth court in January.