A Kelowna Mountie facing accusations of sexual assault and breach of trust by a public officer, intends to plead guilty.
Brian Burkett, who left the Kelowna RCMP in 2017, is accused of abusing his position as an officer to sexually harass multiple women involved in his cases.
He is facing seven criminal charges of breach of trust by a public officer, alleged to have occurred between October 2015 and August 2016 in or near Kelowna.
Civil suits filed by alleged victims allege Burkett made threats of sexual assault, and demanded nude photographs. They also claim he sent sexually suggestive and explicit messages.
Four women have come forward with allegations of sexual assault against the former officer.
This matter has been before the courts since September, 2019. In September 2020, it was reported this was set to move to a preliminary inquiry to determine if there was enough evidence to go to trial.
The BC Prosecution Service (BCPS) confirmed Feb. 11, 2021 that Burkett has indicated he intends to plead guilty when he appears in court next, June 2.
However it is unclear what exactly Burkett will be pleading guilty of.
“There will be no comment from the BCPS regarding the circumstances of the offences or the intended pleas in advance of the next appearance,” said Dan McLaughlin, communications council for the BCPS.
None of the claims have been proven in court and the civil and criminal proceedings are separate matters.
With files from Michael Rodriguez, Andrea Rondeau, and David Venn.
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