Accused in sex assault case to appear in court next week

Charges laid after targeted attack on male youth

PRINCE GEORGE — Six people will be in court next week to face charges of sex assault, assault and unlawful confinement in what police described as an unusual and disturbing case.

The charges come after an unconscious teenage male was found beaten and sexually assaulted in a snowbank Monday night. He remains in hospital in serious but stable condition.

Police said a second youth was also found in the area and had been assaulted. He was treated and released from hospital.

Police aren’t releasing the victims’ ages.

Hayden Alwood, 18, and Mercedes Jewett, 20, have been charged with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm and two counts of unlawful confinement. Four juveniles, who can’t be named, face the same charges. Two are 15, including a female, and the other two are 17.

Neil MacKenzie of B. C.’ s criminal justice branch said Jewett, Alwood and one youth have been remanded in custody until Wednesday, and the three other juveniles have been remanded until Monday.

In the days after the two victims were discovered, police determined they had been targeted and lured to an apartment building where they were assaulted by a group of people, said RCMP Cpl. Craig Douglass.

He described the case as “definitely unusual, definitely disturbing …”

He said police believe they have a motive but they won’t speak about it publicly.

A police request for public help has also been successful, he said. “Investigators have received several tips since our first media release.”