Paramedic James Keats released on $20K surety

A Nova Scotia paramedic accused of sexually assaulting six women in his care has been released on a $20,000 surety with conditions.

James Duncan Keats was arrested on Thursday.He remained in custody over the weekend because the Crown opposed his release into the community.

Keats will be under house arrest. He is not to have any contact with the alleged victims in the case.

All charges against Keats stem from allegations of inappropriate conduct while Keats was working as a paramedic with Emergency Health Services,

Police allege the latest incidents occurred between Dec. 20, 2010 and April 21, 2013, and involve four women ranging from 24 to 64 years old.

The first victim to come forward was a 71-year-old woman who alleges Keats assaulted her on two separateoccasions while he was on duty. A 32-year-oldtold police she was riding a Halifax Metro Transit bus last January when she began experiencing chest pains. An ambulance was called.

Court documents allege that when she was moved to an ambulance, Keats removed her pants and sexually assaulted her with his fingers.

The accusations related to periods when patients were being transported in an EHS ambulance from Windsor, Fall River and Lower Sackville to hospital.

Keats appeared incourt briefly on Friday, after four charges were added to the three he already faced.Keats is also facing four charges of breach of trust, for a total of 11 charges.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 5 where a date for his preliminary inquiry will be set and he will decide whether he wants to be tried by judge alone, or by judge and jury.