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A Penticton city councillor charged with historical sexual assaults against three children will go to trial in December, at the earliest.
Coun. James Miller's lawyer appeared in Sarnia, Ont. court Friday morning, telling the judge a pre-trial conference between lawyers involved is already booked for March 7, and that he estimates the actual trial will need three to five days.
The judge then set December as a tentative time for trial, but cautioned that may get pushed into the new year, as his docket is already busy in that month.
Miller will be due in court Dec. 1, either to nail down a trial window in December or in 2026.
Miller was first arrested on sexual assault charges by police in Penticton acting with Ontario police on Aug. 1, 2024, then again on Nov. 7, 2024, for more similar charges including sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.
According to an Ontario court document detailing the claims against Miller, three men — who were under the age of 16 at the time of the alleged incidents — have accused Miller of illegal sexual touching, invitation to sexual touching and sexual assault in a time frame ranging from 1989 to the 2000s.
Police in Sarnia, Ont. say all the alleged crimes took place during Miller's time in that city working as a youth basketball coach.
Miller is currently the managing editor of the Kelowna Courier and Penticton Herald, and remains a Penticton city councillor, though he has not been active in that elected role since August.
He has been on mandatory paid leave from council ever since his first arrest, as per the B.C. Local Government Act, and collects an annual salary of roughly $27.5K.
An online petition was started in late 2024 calling for Miller's resignation which, while acknowledging Miller is innocent until proven guilty, points out that he is unable to be an active representative of his constituents while his criminal case is pending.
In December, Julius Bloomfield asked all city councillors, including Miller, to indicate their intentions for the final two years of their term, given an upcoming federal election and a seat left empty by now-MLA Amelia Boultbee.
Miller publicly affirmed he will not resign his council role.
He remains out on bail, details of which are protected by a standard publication ban.
