The judge overseeing the Vancouver trial of Gary Rudi Groenke, the former Sechelt RCMP officer and football coach accused of sexually assaulting three young boys in the '80s and '90s has adjourned proceedings until April 14.
Groenke is facing one charge of gross indecency and one charge of sexual assault related to incidents allegedly involving a young teen boy at Ruby Lake, Mount Richardson and Groenke's former home on Wharf Road in Sechelt.
On Monday (April 4) in B.C Supreme Court, Madam Justice Mary Ellen Boyd adjourned the trial until April 14 while she considers the admissibility of evidence in the case.
"Some of the trial has been held in voir dire," said Crown Counsel Marion West.
Essentially a trial-within-a-trial, a voir dire in Canadian law is a hearing to determine whether certain evidence can legally be presented at the trial.
It is prohibited for media to report on evidence presented in a voir dire hearing.
"On Monday we made arguments about whether the evidence should be admitted," said West. "Madame Justice Boyd adjourned the matter until April 14 while she makes that decision."
This is the first of three trials for Groenke. Last month, Justice Boyd ruled on a severance application by defense counsel, deciding that Groenke should face three separate trials for each of his alleged victims.
A publication ban has been imposed prohibiting the publication of anything that may identify the alleged victims or witnesses in the trial.
Groenke was acquitted in February 2008 in a Victoria courtroom of similar sex offences against minors.
