Iqaluit man accused of sex crimes released on bail

An Iqaluit man accused of sexual assault and other related crimes was released from custody Sept. 19 after a bail hearing at the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit.

André Doucet, 38, appeared before Justice Sue Cooper Sept. 19 to face charges of intimidation, sexual assault, assault and sexual interference — a charge that involves an allegation of sexual contact with a person under 16 years of age.

Details of those charges were outlined during a two-hour preliminary hearing Sept. 11 at the court house in Iqaluit and stem from incidents alleged to have occurred in Iqaluit between 2012 and 2013.

A ban prohibits publication of any evidence given at the preliminary hearing as well as evidence presented during the bail hearing, since that information could be deemed prejudicial toward the defendant prior to a full trial.

Doucet had been in custody since his arrest April 18, 2014.

At the bail review hearing, Doucet pleaded guilty to three counts of failure to comply with a recognizance.

Cooper sentenced him to 14 days, consecutively, for each count, all of which has already been served in pre-trial custody.

Doucet has now been released on a recognizance that requires him not to be in the presence of anyone under the age of 16 without a responsible adult present.

He is scheduled to return to court Oct. 6 to set a date for trial.