New Maryland man accused of incest

Robert Philip Warrington, 28, faces charges alleging sexual abuse of younger sister

A New Maryland man accused of sexual offences dating back a decade - including having intercourse with his underage sister - will elect how he wants to be tried in the new year.

Robert Philip Warrington, 28, of Douglas Crescent, appeared in Fredericton provincial court by telephone from Nova Scotia on Thursday to make his initial appearance on several indictable charges alleging sex crimes.

Among the counts before the court was one of incest, alleging that between Sept. 7, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2016, in Harvey, Warrington had sexual intercourse with a complainant knowing she was his sister by blood relation.

Robert Philip Warrington (Photo: Facebook)

Typically in such cases, the prosecution requests a publication ban to protect a complainant’s identity, and given the familial relationship, that could preclude naming the  defendant as well.

However, no such ban was requested Thursday. In fact, prosecutor Matthew Paik specifically said the Crown was not seeking one.

“The complainant does not want a publication ban,” he said.

Warrington faces five other related charges, alleged to have occurred during the same timeframe and in Harvey as well.

Those charges are sexual assaulting the same complainant, touching her for a sexual purpose, inviting her to touch him for a sexual purpose, surreptitiously observing her when she had an expectation of privacy and making sexually explicit material available to her with the intent of committing a sexual offence.

The charges refer to the complainant only as “J.W.” and as the defendant’s sister, and some of them specify she was a minor at the time the events are alleged to have occurred.

Judge Lucie Mathurin told the defendant that he should have appeared in person in Fredericton provincial court for his first appearance on the charges, but she understood he was unable to travel Thursday.

Warrington asked for an adjournment so he could apply for legal aid. He said he works “but not much.”

It wasn’t clear if he’s still living in New Brunswick or in Nova Scotia, as he was advised he needed to apply for legal aid in this province, not in Nova Scotia, since the charges are here.

The judge set the case over to Jan. 18 for election of mode of trial and pleas.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.