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Verdict expected in November for Waterton child sexual assault case

Oct 27, 2020 | 12:00 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – In three week’s time, a pediatrician from St. Albert will learn his fate.

In Lethbridge Court of Queen’s Bench this week, closing arguments were made in the case of Dr. Ramneek Kumar.

He is charged with one count each of sexual assault and sexual interference after he allegedly touched a then-nine-year-old girl in a sexual manner during a joint family vacation to Waterton Lakes National Park in August 2015.

In the girl’s testimony last month, she recounted that there were three separate incidents where Dr. Kumar touched her body during the trip – twice while at a cottage just outside the town both families were staying at and once the following day while in a changing room at an outdoor pool.

READ MORE: Teenage girl testifies at sexual assault trial in Lethbridge

Dr. Kumar has plead not guilty to all allegations. His defense attorney Alain Hepner took issue with the credibility of certain witnesses and of the complainant herself.

For the incidents at the cottage, he said it was hard to believe that no one else would have seen what happened or that Kumar was allegedly “following her.”

At the pool, the victim said she only remembered there being a few people there, but Hepner noted that the pool is typically at around 90-100 per cent capacity during an August weekend.

Crown Prosecutor Darwyn Ross brought to the attention of the court several texts, emails, and conversations Dr. Kumar reportedly had with different people talking about what happened. Ross claims that Dr. Kumar never denied that any instances of sexual touching occurred.

It was not until a few weeks after returning home that the girl told her parents that she was uncomfortable being around Dr. Kumar, but she did not want to elaborate on why at the time. It was not until 2019 that she spoke to RCMP and charges were laid.

The defense called into question why she took so long, but the crown explained that she was only nine years old at the time and did not fully understand the brevity of the situation. According to Ross, she was inspired to come forward after watching a documentary on similar matters happening to other women and girls.

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.

Justice Vaughan Hartigan is expected to make a ruling on the case on November 17.

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