Close X
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
ADVT 
National

Arrested 29-Year-Old Burnaby Groping Suspect Commits Further Sexual Assaults After Release On Conditions

Darpan News Desk, 12 Dec, 2019 08:50 PM

    After a six-month investigation, 29-year-old Burnaby resident, Jorge Benjamin Bernal has been charged with four counts of sexual assault in relation to alleged groping incidents that took place in Burnaby.


    On April 12, 2019, Burnaby RCMP responded to a report that a teenage girl had been groped from behind by a man on Hastings Street in North Burnaby. The victim alleged that a man had run up to her, grabbed her buttocks and attempted to engage in conversation. The man then fled from the area. Burnaby Frontline officers attended the scene, gathered CCTV footage from area and isolated video of the man believed to be responsible for the groping.


    On May 8, 2019, Burnaby RCMP responded to a similar incident involving a teenage girl. The victim stated that she had been groped from behind on WiIlingdon Avenue in North Burnaby. The victim told police that as she was walking, a man approached her from behind, grabbed her buttocks, and attempted to engage her in conversation. When the victim challenged the man he fled the area. CCTV footage from the area was obtained by Frontline officers and the man was identified as being the same person involved in the April 12, 2019 incident.


    In mid-May, the Burnaby RCMP’s High Risk Offender Unit (HRO) took over the investigation. Using intelligence gleaned through CCTV footage and interviews of the victims and witnesses, officers traced the suspects movements which assisted them in identifying him. The suspect was subsequently arrested at a residence in Burnaby on August 21, 2019.


    A search warrant executed at this residence resulted in officers obtaining clothing which matched the clothing worn by the suspect on CCTV images acquired earlier in the investigation.


    Bernal was arrested and released on conditions. After his release, he allegedly committed two further offences.


    On September 20, it is alleged that he inappropriately touched a case worker who had been assigned to work with him.


    On November 6, it is alleged that he groped a community support worker who was assisting him with finding accommodation.

    Th
    is was a traumatic experience for these victims and our High Risk Offender Unit has been working on this investigation as a priority for a number of months, says Inspector Matt Toews, Investigative Services Officer with Burnaby RCMP. These investigators left no stone unturned and their diligence has resulted in serious charges being laid against the suspect.


    The suspect is facing four counts of sexual assault in relation to all the incidents outlined above. He is currently out on bail and must abide by 22 conditions including no contact with anyone under the age of 16, not to travel on any public bus unless travelling to an approved meeting or appointment and to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.


    Jorge Benjamin Bernal will appear in Vancouver Provincial Court on January 15,2020.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Woman Injured In Shooting At Oppenheimer Park

    Vancouver Police are investigating a Saturday afternoon shooting at Oppenheimer Park, which sent a woman to hospital with serious injuries.    

    Woman Injured In Shooting At Oppenheimer Park

    Trade Minister Jim Carr Says 'Spirits Are High' Despite Cancer Diagnosis

    Liberal MP Jim Carr — a federal minister described by peers and rivals alike as hardworking, genuine and an "always awesome colleague" — announced Friday that he has been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer.

    Trade Minister Jim Carr Says 'Spirits Are High' Despite Cancer Diagnosis

    No Need To Pause Divorce Proceedings Despite Foreign Hearings: Supreme Court

    No Need To Pause Divorce Proceedings Despite Foreign Hearings: Supreme Court
    Quebec courts shouldn't automatically pause civil proceedings when a foreign court is examining the same matter, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled.

    No Need To Pause Divorce Proceedings Despite Foreign Hearings: Supreme Court

    'Whistleblower' Not Granted Standing At B.C. Money Laundering Inquiry

    'Whistleblower' Not Granted Standing At B.C. Money Laundering Inquiry
    A former RCMP officer described by his lawyer as a whistleblower for investigating organized crime in casinos has lost his bid for standing at an inquiry into money laundering in British Columbia.

    'Whistleblower' Not Granted Standing At B.C. Money Laundering Inquiry

    Abdulahi Hasan Sharif Guilty Of Attempting To Murder Edmonton Police Officer, 4 Pedestrians

    EDMONTON - A man who struck a police officer with a car before stabbing him multiple times outside an Edmonton football game has been found guilty of attempted murder.

    Abdulahi Hasan Sharif Guilty Of Attempting To Murder Edmonton Police Officer, 4 Pedestrians

    Saskatchewan School Janitor On Paid Leave After Allegedly Told Not To Speak Cree

    Saskatchewan School Janitor On Paid Leave After Allegedly Told Not To Speak Cree
    A janitor from northern Saskatchewan who was allegedly told not to speak Cree says she was recently placed on paid leave, pending the outcome of an investigation by the Northern Lights School Division.

    Saskatchewan School Janitor On Paid Leave After Allegedly Told Not To Speak Cree