A Cochrane man who was cleared on all counts relating to alleged sexual abuse of three minor girls (his biological daughter and two stepdaughters) in December of 2013 is to be retried on charges of sexual abuse.
The man was cleared of six charges in total, three counts of sexual assault, one of sexual contact and two counts of breach of trust.
The retrial is to take place on the basis that the trial judge, Justice Keith Yamauchi, had been found by the Court of Appeal of Alberta to have ‘relied on discredited myths and stereotypes about the disclosure of sexual abuse, particularly by children’.
More specifically, the trial judge had assumed that one of the girls would have told someone, rather than keep it a secret for several years.
A court-imposed publication ban was in place for a period of three years but was lifted in November 2013; the three girls involved in the case all fought to have the publication ban lifted because they wanted the public to be made aware of what had happened.
Two Morgan guitars, valued at $5,000, were stolen as a result of alleged fraud from Legacy Guitar and Coffee House during the early afternoon of June 13.
Cochrane RCMP has names of two suspects and charges may be pending.
During that afternoon, two males came in to shop for guitars. Following payment, the staff questioned the credit cards used for payment and attempted to obtain identification from both males, who were able to leave the premises.
Security footage and the ability of a witness to provide the licence plate number of the black F-250 Ford the men departed in has assisted RCMP in this matter.
Cochrane Cabo Tan experienced a break-and-enter sometime in the early morning hours of June 10.
Lisa McSween of Cabo Tan told the Eagle that she arrived at the store at 9:35 a.m. that morning, observing the front door glass had been smashed and that the store’s tanning lotions and merchandise had been stolen.
McSween estimated that $3,500 in total property damages and theft of goods resulted from the break-and-entry.
This is the first incident of this nature known to have occurred at the local tanning salon in the last decade.
The local business is grateful to any information or assistance the public can provide to the Cochrane RCMP detachment, by calling 403-851-8000.
