UBC sex assault suspect charged

Police have arrested a 27-year-old UBC student following an attempted sexual assault of a womanaround 1 a.m. PT Wednesdayon campusnear Totem Park Residence.

RCMP say the suspect has been charged with sexual assault and assaulting a police officer.Richmond Provincial Court confirms he was released on bail and has a court appearance scheduled forMarch 31.

University RCMPCpl. Brenda Winpenny said they responded to a call of a man choking a female in the lobby of the residence.

She said the suspect placed one arm around the woman's neck and attempted to drag her out into a wooded area, but she was able to get away.

"It would appear at the time of his arrestthe suspect was under the influence of either drugs or alcohol," she said.

Winpennyaddedthe suspect cannot be named because of a publication ban.

UBCcampus security director Barry Eccletonsays this attack is not related to thespate of disturbing sexually-motivated attacks by men on campusin 2013 orthe recent assault of an 18-year-old womanon the south campus in February.

Last month, a CBC News investigation into campus sex assaults revealed that UBC's published data on these crimes was out of sync with RCMP figures.

The investigation found that the number of sexual assault reports received by the University of British Columbia between 2009 and 2013 is less than a quarter of the number reported to the RCMP's UBC detachment.during the same time period.

• Interactive: Campus sexual assault reports