FILE PHOTO

(BRENDAN KERGIN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - It will take a provincial court judge at least one month to decide whether a Barriere man is guilty or not in the case of a woman in her 90s being sexually assaulted.

Brian Byung Koo Lee, who was 61 years old at the time of the alleged offence, is facing one charge of sexual assault after allegedly groping and kissing the senior without her consent in her Barriere home. Her name and exact age would identify her in the small community and cannot be published due to a court-ordered publication ban.

Kamloops Provincial Court judge Christopher Cleaveley heard two full days of testimony and arguments in the case and has reserved his decision, likely until June.

"This case presents some challenges," he told the court.

Lawyers will convene next week to fix a date for Cleaveley's decision.

Crown prosecutor Frank Caputo closed the trial today, April 28, with his final submissions. He said the Barriere senior was reliable in giving her evidence and should be believed.

"This is a case that's largely about credibility," Caputo said. "Only her and Mr. Lee were present at the time of the incident."

Court heard during trial that Lee allegedly showed up to the woman's home unannounced and went into her living room with her. Lee's accused of groping and kissing the woman without her consent.

Caputo previously told the court the complainant and her son had gone to dinner with Lee when he first moved to Barriere as a way to welcome him to the community.

The alleged incident at the woman's home happened just a few days after the dinner meeting in August 2016. After Lee allegedly touched the woman's chest, mid-section and forcefully kissed her, the senior was left bruised.

Photographs of her bruises were entered as an exhibit in court.

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