A former Canadian Forces medical technician is facing a dozen new charges, including sexual assault, in relation to medical examinations he performed at recruiting centres, according to the Department of National Defence.
The retired technician is accused of sexual assault and breach of trust after examinations of recruits and serving members that took place between 2004 and 2009 in London, Ont. and Thunder Bay, Ont., according to a statement.
The charges announced Friday include two counts of sexual assault and 10 counts of breach of trust by a public officer.
Eight people came forward to file complaints “as a result of the high visibility of the previous charges laid against Mr. Wilks,” the Department of National Defence said in a statement.
James Wilks, a retired Petty Officer, Second Class has already faced 40 charges, according to the statement.
Wilks was convicted in Sept. 2013 of 15 charges of breach of trust and 10 counts of sexual assault. At the time, a military judge said Wilks used medical exams to see and touch women's breasts.
He was later sentenced to 30 months and ordered released pending an appeal
In a separate case, a military judge sentenced Wilks in Dec. 2011 to nine months, after he was convicted of one count of sexual assault and four counts of breach of trust.
In the statement issued on Friday, Lieut.-Col. Francis Bolduc, Commanding Officer of the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, commended victims “for their courage in coming forward and speaking out against what is wrong and criminal.”
Bolduc added, “There is no place in the Canadian Armed Forces for sexual misconduct.”
With files from The Canadian Press
