Sexual assault trial scheduled for next spring

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on November 18, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A Lethbridge man waiting to be sentenced for sexually assaulting three women, will stand trial next spring in relation to an assault against a fourth woman.

Sohil Bindra, 36, is scheduled to stand trial April 18-20, 2023 for several sex offences against the woman. He also faces a charge of sex assault against a fifth woman, but that matter was adjourned this week in Lethbridge provincial court to Nov. 30, ostensibly to set a trial date.

Bindra, who is in custody at the Edmonton Remand Centre, is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 6, 2023 in relation to assaults against three women. He was found guilty in May of several offences against his victims, but sentencing has been repeatedly adjourned since then.

During his trial last November and December, one of the women testified Bindra assaulted her in his vehicle in the spring of 2018. He was found guilty of sexual assault and administering a noxious substance in relation to the assault against the woman.

Another woman testified Bindra sexually assaulted her after he gave her and a friend a ride home from a bar in February of 2020. He was found guilty of housebreaking and commit sexual assault, sexual assault and administering a noxious substance in relation to that woman.

A third woman told court during the trial that she was too drunk to drive home to Taber following a work Christmas party in December of 2018, and was sexually assaulted after Bindra allowed her to stay the night at his westside home. Although he said she was coming onto him, she testified she did not consent and told him no. He was found guilty of administering a noxious substance and sexual assault.

Bindra, who was also found guilty of possessing cocaine and the substance he used to drug the women, denied the assault allegations and testified during his trial that the liaisons with the women were consensual.

The accused faces one additional and more recent charge of sexual assault, which was addressed for the first time in court on Nov. 8. The new charge, which relates to similar allegations, has also been adjourned to Nov. 30.

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