Gilles Deguire will testify at preliminary hearing

A former mayor of Montreal North will testify at his preliminary hearing this fall.

Gilles Deguire is accused of sexual assault and sexual touching of a minor, with the acts allegedly occurring between Dec. 1, 2013 and Oct. 23, 2015.

Deguire was a police officer for 30 years and a political attaché for a decade before becoming borough mayor of Montreal North in 2009. He resigned shortly before being charged.

At a hearing on Tuesday Deguire's lawyer confirmed the accused would testify at the preliminary hearing, while the Crown said the victim in the case will also testify.

The location where October's hearing will take place is designed such that the accused and the alleged victim will not be in the same room at the same time.

He was not obliged to be in court Tuesday, although he will have to attend the preliminary hearing and the trial, which will likely only take place in 2018.