Ex-Durham cop facing new charge of sexual assault, watchdog says
· Toronto Sun
A former Durham Regional Police officer already accused of sexually assaulting an underage girl is facing an additional count related to an adult victim, the province’s cop watchdog said.
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Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit said in a statement issued on Thursday that Director Joseph Martino has “reasonable grounds” to believe a former Durham Regional Police officer “committed a criminal offence against an adult female.”
They said the charge relates to conduct that allegedly occurred between May 1999 and December 2009.
“As the matter is before the courts and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will not provide further comment on the investigation,” the statement said.
Previous charges updated as well
Kevin Seamons has since been charged with an additional count of sexual assault, while his previous charges have also been amended.
The SIU said the adult victim was identified during an investigation into earlier accusations that Seamons had sexually assaulted a young female victim in 2003. He was taken into custody by the RCMP in Morinville, Alta., in May after a nationwide warrant was issued for his arrest in that case.
Seamons was then charged with six counts of sexual assault, one count of sexual assault with a weapon, seven counts of sexual exploitation, one count of pointing a firearm, six counts of breach of trust and one count of assault with a weapon before being released on several conditions, authorities said at the time.
The SIU said on Thursday that the previous charges have since been pared down to one count each of sexual assault, sexual exploitation, breach of trust, assault with a weapon and criminal harassment.
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Accused target of SIU probe in 2003
The charges came more than 20 years after the SIU opened a criminal probe into the then-constable in October 2003 over an alleged sexual assault involving a 17-year-old girl, according to a 2006 Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services annual report .
“No criminal charges were brought; however, the (Durham Regional Police Service) continued with its disciplinary investigation.” the report said.
Seamons pleaded guilty to 10 counts of misconduct before appealing his dismissal from the service. That appeal was dismissed in September 2006.
— With files from Ling Hui.