By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Retrial begins for former Taber man on sexual assault charges

Nov 20, 2017 | 3:14 PM

LETHBRIDGE – The retrial of a former Taber man who was convicted in 2013 on two counts of sexual assault, opened Monday morning, Nov. 20, in Court of Queen’s Bench in Lethbridge.

Jorden Van Voorthuizen was sentenced to nine years in prison in April of 2014, after a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting two young boys on multiple occasions between 1995 and 2001, and following a trial in September 2013.

The conviction was later overturned by Alberta’s Court of Appeal, and it was once again scheduled for trial – first by judge and jury, with the defence then re-electing to trial by judge alone.

The trial opened with a voir dire – a miniature trial within a trial – with two applications from the defence for additional disclosure from Taber Police. One was granted, while the judge still needs to consider the other.

Defence lawyer Greg White, then launched a Jordan application to request a stay of proceedings due to excessive delays in getting the matter to trial. Under Jordan rules in the Court of Queen’s Bench, a trial must be heard within 30 months of charges being laid.

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After hearing arguments from both sides regarding the application, the judge adjourned his decision until Tuesday, Nov. 21.

Van Voorthuizen is currently out on $5,000 bail.