Woman sexually assaulted, attacked in Stanley Park bathroom: police

Police in Vancouver say a man has been arrested and charged after a woman was allegedly attacked and sexually assaulted in a bathroom in Stanley Park on Monday.

According to the Vancouver Police Department, just before 11 a.m., a person saw a “suspicious man” walking into the women’s changing room near the Second Beach pool.

“When VPD officers arrived, they found a woman in her 40s who had been robbed and violently assaulted,” the VPD said in a statement on Tuesday. “Officers located a suspect nearby and took him into custody.”

Police say a 35-year-old man has been charged with assault, unlawful confinement, sexual assault with a weapon, robbery, and uttering threats.

The victim was taken to the hospital on Monday, but has since been released, according to the VPD.

Suspect pleaded guilty to sexual assault before in different case

“She doesn’t have life threatening injuries, but certainly she does have injuries, physical and emotional. She’s certainly got a long road ahead to heal from not only what happened to her physically, but also emotionally,” said Sgt. Steve Addison.

On Tuesday afternoon, 1130 NewsRadio learned that a man with the same full name as the suspect has a history of similar offences.

The BC Prosecution Service (BCPS) says in 2021, the man pleaded guilty to sexual assault with a weapon, unlawful confinement, and robbery in a separate incident in Surrey. 

According to the BCPS, his total effective sentence was five-and-a-half years, with credit for over three years served in pre-sentence custody.

As part of that sentencing, the court also issued several orders, including a DNA sample, registration on the national sex offender registry, and a lifetime firearms ban.

The VPD say its investigation into Monday’s incident is ongoing.

The suspect remains in custody, awaiting his next court appearance.

“He’s still in jail. And, while I know that’s not a lot of comfort for people who have concerns and feel all of the emotions that come along with hearing about another story like this, we hope that it does provide some comfort, at the very least, that as long as he’s in custody, he can’t hurt anybody,” Addison told 1130 NewsRadio.