REGINA – The trial of a Regina man accused of sexual assault on a young person between 2016 and 2017 began this morning in Regina King’s Bench Court.
Chad Kwiatkowski entered pleas of not guilty to one count of sexual assault and a second count touching for a sexual purpose on a person under the age of 16. Given the nature of the charges, the identity of the victim or any details that could identify her are protected under a publication ban.
The Crown called three witnesses on this first day of proceedings: an RCMP member who investigated the allegations, the victim’s mother, and the victim herself.
First to provide testimony was Cst. Evan Bambridge, a 14-year member of the RCMP who received a third party call on Sept. 9, 2020 regarding a sexual assault that occurred a few years prior. Cst. Bambridge explained contacting the victim and her mother, and how statements were obtained from “a variety of people.”
RPS units were able to track down the suspect on Jan. 13, 2021 then interviewed him two days later. On July 9 of that same year, Kwiatkowski was arrested and released, with court proceedings set in motion.
Next to the stand was the victim’s mother, who had met Kwiatkowski in the fall of 2016. He then moved into the home a few months later. According to the mother’s testimony, Kwiatkowski was between jobs at that point, but did perform maintenance work around the home, prepared meals, and was able to be home with her then 10-year-old daughter while the mother was at work.
Crown prosecutor Aly Sparks asked the mother when the relationship with Kwiatkowski ended.
“When my daughter came and told me what was happening,” the mother replied, adding that it was toward the end of September, 2017. “She told me that he was touching her inappropriately, and that it had been going on for quite a while.”
The reason the daughter remained silent about the alleged incidents was explained via Kwiatkowski’s coercion.
“…he told her that if she ever told me, that I’d be mad at her, … that she’d be ruining my happiness,” the mother told Sparks.
The afternoon saw the victim take the stand virtually, via video with a support aid at her side.
When asked to describe Kwiatkowski prior to him moving into their home, the young victim gave glowing reviews.
“I thought he was awesome, I trusted him and thought of him like a step-dad at that point in time,” she explained.
Through her testimony, she described the alleged sexual assaults and the relationship between her and Kwiatkowski.
Much of the cross-examination of the victim focused on memory and timeline. Specifically, how long Kwiatkowski actually resided with the family - was it six months or 10?
At one point, defence lawyer Bruce Campbell posed the suggestion that perhaps some of the incidents didn’t happen.
“They did happen,” the victim replied with conviction.
Court will hear from Kwiatowski tomorrow when he takes the stand.
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