Man acquitted by Judge Robin Camp after 'keep your knees together' comment denied bail
Alexander Scott Wagar's trial date for sexual assault charge will likely be set on Friday
An Albertaman whose acquittal on a sexual assault chargewasoverturned amid controversy over Judge Robin Camp's questions tothe complainantcursed as he was denied bail on Wednesday afternoon.
Alexander ScottWagarisaccused ofrapingathen19-year-old womanover a bathroomsinkat a house party.
"I get to spend more time on something I'm innocent of. F**k," saidWagar, whoappeared in a Calgary courtroom viaCCTV.
The case originally was tried before Camp now a Federal Court judgewhen he was an Alberta provincial judge andWagarwas acquitted.
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Butin 2015,the Alberta Court of Appeal ordered a new trial and warrants forWagar'sarrest were issued.
In November 2015, theCanadian Judicial Council announced it wasreviewing Camp's conduct in the original trial aftera complaint from four law professors atDalhousie University and the University of Calgarythat described Camp as "dismissive, if not contemptuous" towardsexual assault laws and the rules of evidence.
In the 11-page complaint, Elaine Craig, Jocelyn Downie, Jennifer Koshan and Alice Woolley said that in the 2014 trial, Camp asked the complainant, "Why couldn't you just keep your knees together?" and, "Why didn't you just sink your bottom down into the basin so he couldn't penetrate you?"
It alsoincludedcalling the alleged victim "the accused" several times throughout the trial.
Retrial date to be set Friday
On Wednesday,Provincial Court Judge BobWilkinsrefused to releaseWagar,who faces a retrial on a charge of sexual assault.
By the time the Court of Appeal overturned the acquittal, then-justice ministerPeterMacKayhad promoted Campto the Federal Court.
Camp has since apologized and is attending gender-sensitivity counselling. The Federal Court has said Camp isnot currently hearing any cases.
Wagaris represented by defence lawyer Pat Flynn, who says a trial date will likely be set on Friday.
The evidence discussed in the bail hearing is protected by a publication ban.
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