232696
231507

Kelowna  

Guilty of child molestation

A Summerland man was found guilty Wednesday of sexually assaulting a child.

Justice Allan Betton found 55-year-old Alfred Friesen guilty of the six charges he was facing: two counts each of sexual assault, sexual interference of a person under 16, and invitation to sexual touching of a person under 16.

The charges stem from two incidents in the summer of 2014 and on Feb. 27, 2015.

Friesen's relationship to the victim is protected under a publication ban, to protect the identify of the victim, but he was in a position of trust.

The child, who was under 10 at the time, told her parents Friesen pulled his pants down and told her to touch his penis, and then laid on top of her and touched her.

Following the February assault, the child said that in the summer of 2014, Friesen brought her into his bed while he was naked and made her engage in sexual acts.

Freisen denied any wrongdoing, and claimed that on Feb. 27, the child walked in on him changing, and he yelled at her and told her to leave.

Following the assault, the victim called her parents, who came and picked her up. The father confronted Friesen, pushing him against a wall.

According to the victim's parents, Friesen said: “it's natural” and “there's nothing wrong with it.” Friesen denied this, however.

Betton found the victim's testimony to be credible, “generally clear and careful” and said she “tried to be as accurate as she could.”

Friesen remains free on bail while a pre-sentence report is prepared. A sentencing date will be set on June 5.



More Kelowna News



231274