Case adjourned for former officer charged with sexual assault

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on August 10, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

The case against a retired Lethbridge police officer accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Lethbridge several years ago has been adjourned again while the Crown and defence lawyer continue to discuss the case.

The matter for William James Kaye was in Lethbridge provincial court Tuesday, but adjourned to Sept. 8 at the request of defence.

Kaye, 63, is charged with breach of trust, sexual assault and criminal harassment, stemming from alleged offences between December 2017 and April 2018 while the accused was involved with the Domestic Violence Action Team.

Police reported that they began an investigation after a woman came forward with several claims involving a former Lethbridge police officer.

The accused turned himself in to the RCMP in March and was arrested. He was released on conditions shortly afterward and scheduled for subsequent court hearings, which were adjourned a couple of times for defence to receive disclosure.

Kaye resigned in February 2021 from his positions on the domestic violence action team and from the board of the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre amid accusations of an unwanted sexual relationship. He retired as an inspector with the Lethbridge Police Service in 2014 after serving with the department for 35 years.

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