19°c Partly cloudy
12°c Cloudy with showers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Man admits to sex assaults, peeping on women
A Winnipeg man has admitted to being a serial voyeur who preyed on several unsuspecting women inside their homes and places of business.
Russel Bruce Cassels, 30, pleaded guilty to numerous offences Tuesday that involve four identified victims: the sexual assault and secret videotaping of two former girlfriends over a lengthy period of time, spying on a woman at a downtown tanning salon and peeping into the bathroom of, and photographing, a female stranger.
Cassels is being held in custody and will be sentenced later this year. He faces a lengthy stint behind bars.
"Mr. Cassels is acknowledging he betrayed the trust his former girlfriends had in him and that he violated the integrity and safety all of the victims were entitled to," defence lawyer Mike Cook told the Free Press outside court.
Cassels was set to begin a preliminary hearing this week when he opted to change his plea to guilty and deal with the case. Lawyers are not expected to make a joint-recommendation on sentence.
Cassels first came on the radar of police in December 2009 following a disturbing incident at TanFX. A 20-year-old female customer began screaming for help after noticing a stranger had scaled the wall of the tanning booth and was spying on her. The intruder responded by pushing down the lid of the tanning bed so she couldn't escape. He then fled the facility, located in the underground Winnipeg Square at 360 Main St.
The victim was emotionally traumatized but not physically injured. Police arrested Cassels days later and charged him with voyeurism, forcible confinement and break and enter. He was released on bail days later, despite objections from the Crown.
The investigation continued and took a twist when officers began examining a cellphone they had seized from Cassels during his initial arrest. Police discovered a database of several city addresses that included "shower times" for some of the female residents. Police began visiting several homes to speak with the occupants.
Police also took the unusual step of publicly releasing a photograph seized from his camera that showed the inside of someone's bedroom, hoping the potential victim would come forward. Sources said several other similar pictures were also found by police.
Cassels was rearrested in February 2010 after allegedly breaching conditions of his bail by assaulting an ex-girlfriend. He was granted bail the next day, with the Crown once again opposed.
Police continued to investigate and uncovered additional evidence involving the same woman and another former partner who came forward.
One of the women says she was sexually assaulted between June 2008 and August 2009, while the other has cited incidents between July 2009 and February 2010. There was also additional evidence of secret videotaping of both victims.
Cassels was arrested again in March 2010 on the additional charges and has been in custody since then.
www.mikeoncrime.com
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 8, 2012 A5
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
Poll
Most Popular Local
- City's first urban reserve born
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- City set to seize derelict hotel
- Crash victims were good friends, free spirits
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Accused fraudster fights extradition to U.S.
- Jockey club launches $350-M civil suit against province
- Evidence ignored in dangerous driving acquital, appeal court told
- Witness changes story of killing
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Police identify slaying victims
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- 2 dead in crash near Portage la Prairie
- The end of the credit card?
- City's first urban reserve born
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- City's first urban reserve born
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Better PTSD treatment for RCMP urged
- Accused fraudster fights extradition to U.S.
- Armed forces buys buses from Motor Coach
- Crash victims were good friends, free spirits
- Katz plays on with golf-course plan
- Jockey club launches $350-M civil suit against province
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Fishing for fashion
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- Core grocer a challenge: expert
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- City's first urban reserve born
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- North End proud
- Power restored to Linden Woods after goose collides with lines
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.