Investigators with the Cobourg Police Service Criminal Investigations Bureau have laid sexual assault and indecent act charges against a 55-year-old man from Port Hope in an ongoing investigation in the Town of Cobourg.
Steven Douglas of Port Hope is charged with the following offences contrary to the Criminal Code:
1. Sexual Assault contrary to the Criminal Code Sec. 271;
2. Indecent Act contrary to the Criminal Code Sec. 173(1)(b).
The accused has been released on an undertaking with conditions and is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Cobourg on September 9th, 2020.
Sexual assault includes any non-consensual contact of a sexual nature. The Cobourg Police Service encourages victims to report incidents of sexual assault, including historical offences. There is no statute of limitations for sexual offences, and offenders can be prosecuted well after the date of the offence. The Cobourg Police Service understands that while sexual assaults often cause long-lasting trauma, survivors may have difficulty speaking about incidents with friends, family members, or police officers. We work to bring sexual assault cases to a resolution by conducting professional and thorough investigations, while also providing assistance and the resources necessary to support victims during this period of recovery.
Anyone with information in relation to this investigation is asked to contact the Cobourg Police Service Criminal Investigations Bureau – Detective Constable Egas, ext. 2202, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-tips, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.stopcrimehere.ca.
Today’s Northumberland reached out to Port Hope Police Chief Bryant Wood who stated, “I was surprised of the allegations.”
But Wood stated Douglas’ last shift was in July 2019 and he is a private citizen who has had no affiliation with the police service since his retirement.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
