Preliminary hearing set for Charles case

Aug 18, 2017 | 1:00 PM

A preliminary hearing has been set for the man accused of abducting an eight-year-old girl from a playground in Prince Albert in early July.

Jarrod Charles, 19, made a brief court appearance via video Friday morning. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Nov. 27 and 28. If the case goes to trial, it will be at the Court of Queen’s Bench before a judge and jury.

Charles was arrested following a massive province-wide manhunt and Amber Alert after news of the abduction broke, July 4.

Police said the young man was seen talking to the girl against a school wall before he grabbed her, put her into the back seat of his car and drove away. She was found several hours later.

Police also said the girl was dropped off in a wooded area outside of the city. She walked from the woods to a nearby farm where the owner called the police. 

Charles was caught after police received a tip of someone matching his description inside a business. Charles was arrested soon after without incident

In a previous court appearance, prosecutors upgraded a sexual assault charge to aggravated sexual assault and added a charge of break and enter while committing an offence.

Charles also faces a raft of other criminal charges including kidnapping, forcible confinement, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, abandoning a child, and breaching probation.

-EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been closed to commenting because the matter is still before the court.

 

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr