LISTOWEL – A Listowel resident is facing sexual assault charges following a historical investigation.
Just before 12 a.m. on Aug. 1, the Perth County Ontario Provincial Police responded to a report of historical sexual assaults that occurred on an on-going basis between 2015 and 2017 in Listowel.
An investigation was completed and as a result one person is facing multiple charges.
The accused, a 36-year-old Listowel resident who was not identified by police, was arrested and charged with:
– two counts of sexual assault on a person under 16 years of age;
– make sexually explicit material available to person under 16 years of age;
– two counts of sexual interference; and
– invitation to sexual touching under 16 years of age.
The accused was held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Name not released
When asked by Midwestern Newspapers why the name of the accused was withheld, Provincial Constable Jillian Johnson said it was to protect the victim.
“The identity is not released if there is any chance it could identify the victim, regardless of age,” she said in an email. “We would never put out the name in a domestic situation, and it is considered on a case-by-case basis.”
Johnson further explained that almost all sexual assault cases end up with a publication ban on first appearance in court.
“Unless there is a need regarding public safety (if there could be more victims, etc.) and releasing the name wouldn’t identify the (victim), we would probably release it,” she said. “But again, each one has different circumstances.”
