By Canadian Press

B.C. man charged with 10 counts of sexual assault after alleged chemical attacks

Apr 13, 2023 | 3:30 PM

VICTORIA — Police in Victoria say a 49-year-old man is facing 10 counts of sexual assault with a weapon after a series of attacks on women last year.

They say the department began receiving reports of women being sprayed or splashed with an unknown liquid in the city’s downtown area last November.

Police believe the liquid was corrosive, as some of the victims reported that the substance had damaged their clothing and they felt a burning sensation.

All of the victims were women, ranging in age from 15 to 48. 

Police say they arrested a suspect late in December, and a Victoria man was formally charged on March 14.

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They say he is currently awaiting trial, bound by court-ordered conditions.

A December police statement said officers were investigating two separate incidents in which women had an unknown, “hot-feeling” liquid splashed on their legs.

Similar incidents followed, including on Dec. 29, when a man allegedly sprayed a group of women with a liquid that damaged their nylons, the statement said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2023.

The Canadian Press