Lawyer waiting on disclosure in sexual assault, unlawful confinement case
By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on August 30, 2023.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com The lawyer for a 59-year-old Lethbridge man accused of holding a woman against her will and repeatedly sexually assaulting her, has been unable move ahead with the case because she is still waiting for disclosure from the Crown’s office.During a hearing in May, Calgary lawyer Robin McIntyre told court she had received some disclosure for her client, Bernard Gibson, but expected much more. In June she said she had received additional disclosure but needed more time to review it. She noted the same concerns and made the same adjournment requests during three successive court hearings in July and earlier this month.
“Mr. Gibson has a substantial amount of disclosure on his matters that I’m working through right now, and I’ll be speaking with (the Crown’s office) in the interim,” McIntyre told the judge on June 28.
McIntyre was back in Lethbridge court of justice on Tuesday, and said she is still waiting for disclosure, including lab results, and requested an adjournment to Sept, 12.
Gibson, who remains in custody at the Lethbridge Correctional Centre, and was not required to attend court Tuesday, is charged with aggravated sexual assault and unlawful confinement.
On May 18, police attended a residence in the 1500 block of 16 Avenue South after receiving a report from the landlord that he had found an injured woman in the basement. EMS transported the 30-year-old victim to Chinook Regional Hospital, where she was admitted for treatment of extensive injuries.
Police reported that the woman met a man earlier in the month outside of Lethbridge and was driven into the city. She was taken to the southside home, unlawfully confined and repeatedly sexually assaulted for four days.
While police were at the home conducting an investigation, a man matching the suspect’s description returned and was arrested without incident.
Gibson is also charged with failing to comply with bail conditions, which stems from a previous incident last March from which he was charged with sexual assault, assault and unlawful confinement. Police said a woman was held against her will and assaulted for two days before she was able to escape.
Those matters also return to court Sept. 12. Follow @DShurtzHerald on Twitter 4
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