By Lara Fominoff @LaraFominoff on Twitter

Trial for Calgary man accused of sexual assault vacated

Jan 14, 2019 | 12:39 PM

LETHBRIDGE – A 30-year-old man from Calgary, who was to stand trial on two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference, has had his trial in Court of Queen’s Bench vacated.

Court heard Monday, Jan. 14, that Wijdan Yasir’s new council, Wade Hlady, had not been able to get in touch with him, to communicate in time for what was supposed to be a three-day trial beginning Feb. 6.

Hlady told the court that Yasir was back in Pakistan, and the judge in the matter issued a warrant for Yasir’s arrest.

Yasir was originally arrested in April 2016, after Lethbridge Police received a complaint that a woman and two girls were inappropriately touched at a swimming pool in the 2300 blk of Mayor Magrath Drive South.

He was originally charged with three counts of sexual assault and two of sexual contact with a minor and had to abide by several conditions, including staying away from any schools, public pools and playgrounds, or anywhere else where children under the age of 14 could be expected to be present. He was also barred from volunteering or working with people under the age of 14 or from having any contact with them, unless under adult supervision.

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The Crown previously acknowledged that Yasir was not a flight risk after he flew in from Pakistan for a previous court appearance in October 2017.