An ongoing sexual assault case that involves a Burns Lake man has been postoned again.
A Burns Lake man pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault. The man, who cannot be identified as his name and that of his victim are covered by a publication ban, entered the plea on Nov. 20, 2023.
He was originally charged in November 2021.
The accused was to appear on Jan. 22, 2024 to fix a date for sentencing but it was adjourned to Feb. 20, 2024.
On Feb. 20 the B.C. Prosecution Service said, “The psychological/psychiatric assessment wasn’t completed in time and there was a request from the medical professional for an extension. The next court date is May 6, 2024.”
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In other ongoing cases in Burns Lake, Ryan Matues Garfield was given a conditional discharge and placed on probation for two years after pleading guilty to one charge of secretly observing and/or recording nudity or sexual activity from Jan. 12, 2022 to Jan. 14, 2022.
Garfield was additionally charged with secretly observing and/or recording nudity in a private place on or about Jan. 14, 2022 and publishing an intimate image without consent on Jan. 14, 2022 but those charges were subsequently stayed by provincial prosecutors.
The three offences were alleged to have occurred at or near Burns Lake.
The sentence was given by Judge Bernt on Feb. 29, 2024.
Garfield pled guilty to the one count in Smithers provincial court on Sept. 5, 2023.