VICTORIA -- Police say a man has been arrested and charged in connection with a pair of sex assaults near bus stops in the Greater Victoria area.
The 40-year-old suspect from Sidney, B.C. was arrested on Sunday. He has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and released on conditions, according to police.
Saanich police asked the public to help identify a suspect on Feb. 29, saying a 17-year-old girl had been subjected to unwanted touching after getting off a BC Transit bus at the Royal Oak exchange in Saanich two days prior.
Police said the man approached the victim on the bus and engaged her in conversation. When she got off the bus, he followed her and began to make unwanted sexual advances, culminating in the assault.
Saanich police announced on Friday that another woman had contacted them, saying she had been the victim of a similar assault on Feb. 26.
The alleged perpetrator in that incident also engaged the 25-year-old victim in conversation on a bus, followed her off the bus and initiated unwanted sexual touching at a bus stop in the Quadra Street corridor.
In a news release Friday, police said they believe the same suspect was responsible for both assaults. They described the suspect as approximately 30 years old, 5'7" tall with "a dark complexion," black hair and an accent.
Police also released photos of the man, which show him boarding and riding the bus. On both occasions, the man got on the bus near Uptown shopping centre, police said.
