Sexual Assault Suspect Drank 19 Beers, Did Cocaine

The plot thickens in a case of alleged sexual assault, assault causing bodily harm, and unlawful confinement at Buccaneer's Pub back in January....25-year-old Bradley Scott Wilson saying he never laid a hand on the 46-year-old bartender, and she initiated all the sexual contact in exchange for cash.

Wilson claims he only scuffled with the woman after she stole $100 from a jacket he left in the washroom...contradicting her testimony that he cornered her and intimidated her into performing sex acts. Another woman also at the bar last night claims he hassled her for a kiss after offering her drugs. Wilson's version is after the bartender stole the money, she offered him oral sex in exchange for keeping it.

The Chance Harbour man admitted to a drinking problem saying he had 19 beer and several lines of cocaine the night of the incident. He had previously been barred from the pub for fighting.

Welsford Bypass Contract Awarded

A 2.6-million dollar contract for grading and paving on the Welsford Bypass has been awarded to Northern Construction of Grand Falls.
Work is expected to begin within two weeks and will involve a 5-kilometre stretch of the new road as well as four ramps on the northern end of the bypass.
The 60-million dollar bypass project consists of 10-kilometres of four lane highway and is scheduled to be completed and open for traffic in the fall of next year.

New Date For Completion Of Peel Plaza Justice Complex

We have a new date for the opening of the new justice complex at Peel Plaza complete with 13 courtrooms.

CHSJ News has been told by the Justice Department the first cases will be heard starting in January with the move taking place in December. It was originally scheduled to be finished in June of this year.  

The estimated cost of the building is 40 million dollars.

It will have a three-storey atrium lobby complete with a replica façade of the 19th century jail that was torn down in the 1970s.

Liberal Leadership Hopeful On Saint John's Financial Woes

Former provincial cabinet minister Mike Murphy, who's running for the provincial Liberal leadership, says Saint John needs a fix.

Murphy tells CHSJ News that fix can come about with regionalisation if it's done right so the city can get its hands on much needed revenue.

Murphy agrees with the city's Finance Commissioner Greg Yeomans that depending on the property tax to raise enough money for municipal services just won't be enough.

Murphy also says the 20 million dollars the province pays for the RCMP should get a second look because he tells CHSJ News there are rural areas not getting what they're paying for.

Young Man Denies Cornering Bartender For Sex

The 25 year old Chance Harbour man accused of sexually assaulting a female bartender at Buccaneers Pub in January offering his side in court this afternoon.

Bradley Scott Wilson told the court he has been an alcoholic for years and had been drinking when he arrived at the pub January 11th of this year.

According to Wilson,  the struggle happened after the bartender took $100 from a jacket he left in the washroom.

The woman earlier testified Wilson cornered her for sex and no money was involved.  

Wilson testifies the bartender attempted to make a deal saying she would keep the $100 she found in exchange for performing a sex act on Wilson.   

He alleges the intimacy was consensual.

Testimony continues this afternoon. 

A Heads Up For Drivers On West Side

Traffic on Bridge road will be reduced to one lane in both directions from the Reversing Falls bridge and the Simms corner train tracks until 5 this afternoon for paving.

Couple Forced From Home By Fire

A fire at a mini-home on Lake Road in Penobsquis.
 
A man and woman who live there are getting some help from the Red Cross while waiting for word from insurance adjusters.
 
No one was injured in the fire which was mostly confined to a bedroom with smoke damage elsewhere.

Simonds High Grad Killed In Motorcycle Crash

A funeral service will be held 3:00 this Sunday afternoon at King's Valley Wesleyan Church along Hampton Road in Quispamsis for 23 year old Jason Train who died earlier this week in a motorcycle accident along Highway 7 about a kilometer away from the Ocean Westway exit.

Jason was a graduate of Simonds High and studied Mechanical Technology at the Community College. 

At the time of his death, Train, found next to his motorcycle on Wednesday afternoon, was working with his brother at Port City Pawn Shop. 

City Police have called in accident reconstructionists to try to determine how the crash happened. It's also unclear when the accident occurred.