By Taylor MacPherson

Man accused of sex crimes released on bail

May 11, 2017 | 2:00 PM

A man accused of sexual assault and sexual interference was released on bail today, with a condition barring him from having any unsupervised contact with persons under 16.

Quentin George Gardiner, 31, is facing charges of sexual assault and sexual interference after allegedly molesting a girl under age 16 on multiple occasions. Although the specific allegations against Gardiner were outlined in court, many details cannot be published because they might identify the young complainant.

Crown Prosecutor Keith Amyotte pointed to Gardiner’s history of violent crimes and 2007 conviction for manslaughter while arguing against his release. The complainant, Amyotte said, has been treated for depression and contemplated self-harm following the alleged incidents.

Gardiner’s lawyer Tumi Odele pointed out several inconsistencies in the complainant’s claims, including the fact the number of alleged incidents varied greatly between the complainant’s statements. Odele said the Crown’s case against Gardiner is weak, as they rely solely only on the statement of the complainant without any physical evidence.

“She keeps changing her story,” Odele said.

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Odele said Gardiner has “turned his life around” in the past few years, and has not been involved with the law since 2015. Gardiner is still presumed innocent at this stage, she noted.

Provincial Court Judge Felicia Daunt said she also saw potential issues with the Crown’s case against Gardiner, and noted witness credibility would likely be the primary issue if the charges went to trial.

“The Crown’s case is not so overwhelming that a conviction is inevitable,” Daunt said.

Daunt released Gardiner on an undertaking with strict conditions keeping him away from the alleged victim and other minors. He was ordered to report to a probation officer and reside as directed, and was barred from having any contact with the complainant whatsoever. He was also prohibited from having any contact with persons under age 16 except while in the company of a court-approved supervisor.

Gardiner will be back in Prince Albert court later this month. 

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TMacPhersonNews