Friday, September 18, 2009

Charges Stayed in Ventling Rape Case

107.5 Kiss FM Friday, 18 September 2009 14:47 RCMP media release

The Vernon/North Okanagan Detachment is issuing the following statement in the Wilbur Ventling Sexual Assault Trial. The trial was to commence in Kelowna Supreme Court this week, Defense Counsel raised charter issues from a delay of process application, and earlier today the presiding Judge in the case has stayed the charges against Mr VENTLING.

The RCMP are very disappointed with the outcome of this case as it has taken many years and many hours of investigation to get to this point.The Crown Counsel has asked for a copy of the decision handed down today so they can determine if any further action will be taken on the file.

Wilbur Ventling remains in custody at the present time under Sec 55 of the Immigration Act.The victim in this case has been advised of today's decision.The RCMP are not in a position to make any further comments on this case until they have had an opportunity to sit down with Crown Counsel and review the written decision of the presiding judge in the case.

------------

Judge stays charges in 1979 Vernon sexual assault

A Kelowna Supreme Court Judge has stayed charges against a man accused of sexually assaulting a then-nine-year-old girl in Vernon 30 years ago. Charges against Wilbur James Ventling, 63, were stayed in Kelowna Supreme Court Friday.The Morning Star learned that charter issues were among the reasons for the judge's move.Ventling was facing charges of rape and causing bodily harm with intent to wound, maim or disfigure following the May 1979 attack on the unidentified girl.

He was arrested outside his home in Carson City, Nev. in the fall of 2007 after Vernon RCMP re-opened the case in 2003 by forwarding items from the original crime to a lab for DNA analysis. The samples were sent to Nevada in 2005 and a positive match was received. The girl was lured into the woods outside of Vernon by a man who said he had been searching for his cat. The girl was then assaulted.

See Sunday's Morning Star for more on this developing story.

No comments: