Accused in sex assault near Blair Station was out on bail

Teen awaiting trial in armed robbery

A 19-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 16 near an east Ottawa bus station this month was out on bail, awaiting trial for an alleged latenight gunpoint robbery nearly a year ago.

Hanten Hersi leaned against the cellblock wall as he appeared via video in an Ottawa courtroom Thursday morning to face the new sex assault charges. Police believe he is one of four men who approached a girl at Blair Station around 5 a.m. on Aug. 11 and offered her money for sex. When she refused, she was led to a secluded spot nearby and sexually assaulted, according to police.

A security guard called police when he heard screaming. Hersi faces 11 outstanding charges in relation to two robberies in September 2012.

Just before midnight on Sept. 11, a lone man seated on the steps of a building on Cumberland Avenue near the University of Ottawa was held down by two men and robbed of his laptop, police said at the time. Then around 1 a.m., two women were robbed at gunpoint by two men near the Sandy Hill Community Centre. Hersi’s robbery trial is set for November.

He now faces six new charges: sexual assault, invitation to sexual touching, sexual interference, forcible confinement, intimidation and failure to comply with conditions of recognizance.

He will remain in custody until his next court appearance on Aug. 28.

Police have released photos of the three other suspects, and ask anyone with information about the incident to contact the sexual assault and child abuse unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5944, or Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-222-8477.