Lethbridge Courthouse. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Teenage girl testifies at sexual assault trial in Lethbridge

Sep 22, 2020 | 1:19 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Now 14 years old, a St. Albert girl took to the stand at Lethbridge Court of Queen’s Bench on Tuesday to testify about alleged sexual assaults that took place when she was nine.

Pediatrician Dr. Ramneek Kumar, also of St. Albert, is charged with sexual assault and sexual interference.

In August 2015, the girl’s family and Dr. Kumar’s family took a joint vacation to Waterton Lakes National Park. Dr. Kumar was a family friend.

The victim testified that there were three separate incidents of sexual touching over the course of two days.

The first two happened at a cottage just outside of Waterton that the two families stayed in together.

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According to the girl, she went to the top floor of the cottage where her bedroom was to grab her iPad and charger and claims Dr. Kumar came up behind her.

The accused allegedly rubbed her shoulders and grabbed her breasts for a few seconds before she ran out of the room.

About an hour later, she went to her room to change into her pyjamas. She told court that Dr. Kumar again rubbed her shoulders and touched her back after approaching from behind.

The following day, the girl’s family went to a lodge in the Waterton townsite while the Kumar family stayed in their own lodge.

Her parents were waiting for another group of friends to arrive from Winnipeg, so Dr. Kumar offered to walk his two children, the victim, and the victim’s cousin to a nearby outdoor pool.

The accused first took the boys into the men’s change room and told the victim to wait outside until they were done. According to the girl, he insisted on taking her into the change room despite her being adamant that she could do it herself.

While she was changing into her swimsuit, Dr. Kumar allegedly wrapped her hand around her waist and back. He reportedly tried to reach around to grab her breasts.

Following the vacation, the girl told her parents that she did not want to be around Dr. Kumar anymore because he had touched her in weird ways, but she did not feel comfortable elaborating beyond that.

She talked to a couple of counsellors in the years that followed and spoke to RCMP about the alleged sexual assaults in February 2019.

When criminal charges were laid, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) suspended Dr. Kumar’s medical license. He tried to appeal the decision in court but the judge stayed the suspension. The judge instead allowed him to return to his practice with a chaperone condition and signage in his office.

The charge of sexual assault comes with a maximum sentence of 14 years if the victim is under the age of 16.

Sexual interference could land a person in prison for up to 14 years.

The trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday.

Correction: This article originally stated that Dr. Kumar worked out an arrangement with the CPSA to continue his medical practice with a chaperone. It was instead a judge that allowed this to happen.