Release conditions altered for doctor in human trafficking case

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on December 2, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A doctor charged in connection with human trafficking and sex-related offences, and who has been free on bail for more than a year, has been allowed to change some of his release conditions.

Dr. Ziyaad Noor, who practiced medicine in Lethbridge and Calgary, was released Aug. 24, 2021 on $10,000 bail, with the promise to pay that amount should he breach any of the several conditions attached to his bail.

During a brief hearing Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court two people who acted as surety to ensure Noor adhered to a list of bail conditions were removed from the list. Also removed was the condition requiring the accused to obey a daily curfew. Noor must, however, live at a specific residence on Centre Street North in Calgary or otherwise at an approved address.

Noor is set to stand trial in January on charges of sexual contact with a child, sexual counsel of a child, sexual assault of a person under the age of 16, sexual assault causing bodily harm, aggravated sexual assault, trafficking in persons, and being party to sexual assault.

The charges stem from a police investigation into human trafficking in which 10 individuals, including two youth, were arrested in August 2021. Police said several men groomed a 15-year-old girl and took her to various locations where sex offences took place. The individuals also engaged in sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl, and additional victims came forward later in connection with the investigation.

Although charges against the other adults accused in relation to the human trafficking case have yet to be resolved by trials, charges against the two youth have been resolved with guilty pleas.

One of the youths pleaded guilty in February to two counts of sexual assault against two girls, and was given a two-year deferred custody and supervision order. The order allows the offender to serve his sentence in the community, during which he is bound by several conditions. If he breaches any of the conditions he could be ordered to serve his sentence in custody.

The second youth pleaded guilty in October to one count of sexual assault and was sentenced to six months of deferred custody and supervision, followed by probation.

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