Former Mountie convicted of sex assault on child

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This article was published 06/07/2021 (1534 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A retired Manitoba RCMP officer has been convicted of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl during a camping weekend in 2014.

Robert Dowd was first convicted of assaulting the girl following a trial in 2017. That conviction was overturned and a new trial was ordered, after the Manitoba Court of Appeal ruled last year the original sentencing judge erred in assessing Dowd’s credibility.

In a decision delivered Tuesday, provincial court Judge Keith Eyrikson said he had “serious concerns” about Dowd’s credibility at trial: “Enough that I cannot rely on his evidence where it differs from that of (the victim).”

Dowd was accused of assaulting the victim when he was off-duty during a bonfire party in the Interlake. Prosecutors alleged Dowd was alone with the girl “stargazing” when he put his hands under her clothes and fondled her for approximately three minutes.

Dowd denied the allegation, testifying at trial the only time he was alone with the girl was when he took her to his motorhome to use the bathroom.

Eyrikson said he had “significant difficulty” with Dowd’s testimony on this point.

Dowd told court he showed the girl how to use the toilet and waited outside for her for 10 minutes before he “lost track of her” and left.

Court heard testimony Dowd and the girl arrived back at the bonfire at the same time.

“It was clear from his evidence he was making sure this nine-year-old girl was safe and supervised while he was with her, then when (she) finishes in the bathroom, he simply abrogates this responsibility and leaves her on her own,” Eyrikson said.

“This, on a cold dark night, by all accounts, leaving her in an RV she has never been in before. This is a former RCMP officer and grandfather. It defies common sense and logic that he does nothing further to make sure she got back safely to the campfire.”

The girl disclosed the assault to her father hours later, provided two statements to police and testified at the trial.

Eyrikson said he did not draw a “negative inference,” from evidence the girl showed no signs of distress upon returning to the bonfire.

In a statement to police, the girl said the sexual touching “made me feel bad, in weird ways.” She also expressed puzzlement why anyone would want to touch her in that way, a comment that further bolstered her credibility, Eyrikson said.

“I found her evidence believable, trustworthy and truthful,” the judge said. “Her evidence is strong and makes sense in the context it was given.”

Dowd, who appeared for the decision by telephone, lashed out after hearing the guilty verdict, saying: “Now I gotta appeal again, thank you very much.”

Dowd remains free on bail. He will be sentenced at a later date.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca