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Sexual assault allegations arise from a wide variety of circumstances. As we discussed in a recent post, a sexual assault charge does not have to be based on an allegation of extreme violence. A person can face very serious consequences after being accused of groping or otherwise inappropriately touching another person.
That is the accusation against a student who was recently arrested in Ottawa. Police were called to Carleton University after a woman told campus security that she had been inappropriately touched by a man in an elevator, and security guards detained a 26-year-old man until police arrived.
Further investigation led to more allegations. Two other university staff members said they were assaulted in elevators, and the young man was identified by both women.
Three counts of sexual assault have been laid against the man, who reportedly has no prior criminal convictions on his record in Ontario. He has already attended a bail hearing, and as a condition of his release, he is prohibited from returning to Carleton University or any other college or university campus in Ottawa.
Individuals accused of sexual assault face the possibility of serious, long-term consequences. Not every assault allegation is grounded in fact, however, and thorough pretrial investigation on the part of the defence is necessary to achieve a favourable result for the accused. Each case is different, and an experienced criminal defence attorney can carefully analyze the facts and develop a strategy for protecting the defendant’s rights and freedom.
To learn more about sexual assault charges in Ontario, please visit our criminal defence overview.
Source: Ottawa Citizen, “Man charged with three sexual assaults at Carleton University,” Meghan Hurley, Sept. 6, 2014
