Alleged sexual predator to appear in court today

CTV Ottawa: Yousef Hussein back in court No friends, no family in court as accused sexual assault suspect Yousef Hussein appears in court. CTV's Natalie Pierosara reports.

Ottawa Police have arrested a suspect in connection to the city's serial sexual predator case.

25-year-old Yousef Hussein will appear in Ottawa court this afternoon.

During a media conference Friday morning at Police Headquarters, Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau announced they have charged a man in connection to six sexual assaults occurring over the last two years.

25-year-old Yousef Hussein is charged with:

Police had previously linked three of the alleged assault happening on August 5, 2012 on Banner Rd; June 26, 2013 on a footpath between Lancaster Rd. and Erinbrook Crescent; and October 7, 2013 on Aldea Ave.

The other three sexual assault charges relate to the alleged cases happening in late March 2013 in the 2600 block of Draper Ave.; June 1, 2013 on Laurier Ave. near Chapel St.; and Oct. 16, 2013 in the 2400 block of Baseline Rd. between Woodroffe Ave. and Greenbank Rd.

Police are investigating a total of 10 alleged sexual assault cases, six of which have been linked to Hussein.  He may be linked to four other similar cases.

In each of the ten cases police are aware of, they say the female victims had been walking alone, after dark, when they were jumped by a stranger.

In three of the linked cases, the victims were choked.

All female victims were between the ages of 18 and 30.

Police have received hundreds of public tips and identified over 150 persons of interest throughout the investigation.

"Identifying and arresting the person responsible for these crimes has been a priority for the Ottawa Police Service and I want to thank the investigators for their work," said Chief Charles Bordeleau in a media release. "Investigators have worked tirelessly to solve these crimes."

"I especially want to recognize the great courage and resilience of the women who came forward to police. It's vital that these crimes are reported," said Bordeleau. "Victims can have confidence in coming forward that when these crimes are reported they will be fully investigated."

Hussein is scheduled to appear at the Ottawa courthouse Friday afternoon.

The investigation continues.