Crown stays luring charge against former tennis coach
Preliminary inquiry on other charges scheduled for Dec. 10
The Crown has entered a stay of proceedings on a charge of child luring against a former Annapolis Valley tennis instructor.
Aaron Byron Cumberland, 28, of no fixed address, was present in Windsor provincial court in custody on Dec. 4. He was scheduled to stand trial on a charge of communicating with a person under the age of 18 by means of telecommunications for the purpose of facilitating an offence relating to child pornography. It’s alleged that Cumberland committed this offence in Windsor between March 1 and June 30, 2017.
The Crown entered a stay of proceedings on the charge. This means that the Crown has discontinued prosecution of the accused but may resume prosecution for up to one year, or the charge is withdrawn.
Cumberland is facing other sexrelated charges, including communicating with a person under age 16 by means of telecommunications for the purpose of facilitating the offence of invitation to sexual touching; making sexually explicit material available to a person under age 16 and invitation to sexual touching.
It’s alleged that Cumberland committed these offences in Windsor between Nov. 2 and 5, 2017. Cumberland has elected Supreme Court trial by judge and jury on these charges. A preliminary inquiry is scheduled for Dec. 10. Charges against Cumberland have not been proven in court.
The remaining charges involve a single alleged victim from Kings County. The identity of the alleged victim is protected by a publication ban.
On Oct. 10, a charge of communicating with a person under the age of 18 by means of telecommunications for the purpose of facilitating the commission of an offence relating to child pornography was dismissed with the Crown offering no evidence. It had been alleged that Cumberland committed the offence in Kentville between March 1 and June 30, 2016.
Conditional release revoked
Cumberland was released from custody on his own $1,000 recognizance with conditions following a Nov. 20, 2017 appearance in Halifax provincial court. His release conditions included not using or possessing electronic devices capable of accessing the internet and surrendering his passport to the Lower Sackville RCMP.
The court revoked Cumberland’s conditional release on Sept. 4. He is being held in custody on a due-course-of-law remand.
Along with two people from Fredericton, Cumberland was apprehended on May 31 on the American side of the Maine-New Brunswick border. U.S. border patrol officers charged them with unlawful entry after they were seen walking near Houlton, a spot that isn’t designated as a point of entry.
An affidavit submitted to the U.S. court alleged that Cumberland had a cellphone and laptop computer in his possession when he was arrested in Maine.
Before being returned to Nova Scotia, Cumberland was deported from the U.S. to New Brunswick, where a warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of breaching conditions of his recognizance.
Cumberland, a former Kentville resident, was named Tennis Nova Scotia’s Coach of the Year in 2013. He worked as executive director of the CANgaroo Athletic Association, which put on tennis skill development sessions - including school programs - in several Kings and Hants county communities. handed Parker a suspended sentence with one year of reporting probation on each of the two charges, to be served concurrently. Parker was also fined a total of $400 in victim surcharges.
Parker committed the offences in Halls Harbour on Feb. 4. The other 39 firearm-related charges against Parker were dismissed with the Crown offering no evidence.
Conditional discharge for assault
Richard Evan Lutz, 31, of White Rock, has been handed a conditional discharge with probation for committing an assault.
Lutz changed his plea to guilty on Oct. 15 and the matter was adjourned to Dec. 5 to allow time for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and for sentencing. Judge Christopher Manning handed Lutz a conditional discharge with nine months of probation and fined him $100 in victim surcharges.
Lutz committed the offence in White Rock on May 31.
Conditional discharge for threat
Brett Evan Tetanish, 42, of Union Corner, has been handed a conditional discharge with probation for, by speaking indirectly to an individual, knowingly conveying a threat to her to cause death to another individual.
Tetanish pleaded guilty to the charge on Oct. 30. The matter was adjourned to Dec. 4 to allow time for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and for sentencing. Judge Ronda Van Der Hoek handed Tetanish a conditional discharge with eight months of probation.
Tetanish committed the offence in Windsor on Aug. 2. A charge of assault was withdrawn on Dec. 4.