A charge of sexual assault has been stayed against Port Moody Mayor Rob Vagramov, but it’s unclear when he will be returning to work.
The charges were stayed because the mayor completed B.C.’s alternative measures program, special prosecutor Michael Klein told a Provincial Court judge in Port Coquitlam during a two-minute appearance Wednesday morning. Vagramov’s lawyer, Ian Donaldson, appeared on his behalf.
The program, which was granted for Vagramov by the presiding judge in September, allows an accused person to deal with a criminal charge outside the court process.
Such cases are considered if the charge is minor, it is their first offence, and/or they admit they were responsible, according to the BC Prosecution Service. The measures themselves can include financial compensation, an apology, or community service work.
Exactly what Vagramov’s program entailed were not disclosed as Donaldson said those details are privately shared between the accused, complainant and any other parties directly involved in the matter.
When asked outside of the court building how Vagramov feels about the stay of charge, Donaldson said he was likely relieved.
“If the most affected parties are able to make peace outside of the court system, that happens,” Donaldson said, “and that’s what’s happened here, essentially.”
The details of what the alternative measures were are private, Vagramov’s lawyer Ian Donaldson says. “It’s a flexible arrangement” where what happens is usually developed and appropriate to how the case came about, he says. pic.twitter.com/YiwvIz3f45
— Ashley Wadhwani (@ashwadhwani) November 13, 2019
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The charge was announced shortly after Vagramov was elected as mayor in 2018, in connection to an incident in 2015 when he was a city councillor. Vagramov initially took an unpaid leave in March when the sexual assault charge came to light and attempted to return to his role in October but that was voted down 4-3 by councillors shortly after.
READ MORE: Port Moody mayor goes back on unpaid leave during sex assault investigation
Black Press Media has reached out to Vagramov for comment.
