Dr. Albert de Villiers, a former chief medical officer of health for British Columbia’s Interior region has been found guilty of repeated sexual offences against a young Alberta boy.
In the recent appearance, Justice Shaina Leonard of the court of King’s Bench found de Villiers guilty of one count each of sexual interference and sexual assault.
According to official records, De Villiers worked for 16 years as a medical officer of health for Alberta Health Services’ North zone. It was gathered that the medial doctor moved to Kelowna in 2020 to work as the chief medical officer of health for Interior Health.
Multiple reports have it that during a trial last month in Grande Prairie, Alta., court heard evidence that the doctor had sexually abused his friends’ child when the boy was between seven and nine years old.
In the recent court appearance, Justice Leonard found that de Villiers sexually touched the boy between five and eight times between June 15, 2018, and July 31, 2020.
The judge found that the boy, now 11, was both “credible and reliable” in his account of what happened.
The victim testified during the trial that the doctor had shown him pornographic videos and sexually touched him during a number of sleepovers at the doctor’s house.
According to the judge, while the child seemed confused and unclear when responding to some questions put to him by police and lawyers, he was able to describe “key details” of the offences.
In her words, she was left without a doubt that the child had witnessed de Villiers engaged in sexual acts.
In what was a key evidence, an apologetic voicemail that de Villiers left for the boy’s father in June 2021 — after the child disclosed what had happened to his parents — became a key part of the Crown prosecutor’s case.
Reports said at that point, the parents had blocked de Villiers on social media and his regular phone number.
It was learned that in the message, de Villiers said to the father, “I am extremely sorry that what happened did happen” and that he should have come to him earlier.
The embattled De Villiers also said “it has never happened before” and said it will not happen again and that “things lead to another.”
“I did wrong things and take responsibility for what I have done.”
However, in his remarks during the trial, de Villiers said the message was in response to realizing he had overstepped in his relationship with the boy by becoming too involved and acting like a parent.
But the judge rejected de Villiers’ explanation, saying it is clear that he was apologizing for something specific.
She said “It is not the voicemail from someone who has improperly parented someone else’s child”.
Leonard added that the overstepping explanation does not match de Villiers’ initial explanation to police when he said he didn’t know what he’d done to upset the family.
“I accept the accused was attempting to mislead the police … or he had not yet settled on a story that would explain the voicemail,” she said.
Reacting to the development, Interior Health said in a statement that it is aware of the judge’s finding of guilt against de Villiers.
The statement said “Given the leadership and public-facing role of the chief medical health officer, and the critical importance for the incumbent to comply with all respects of professional standards, it is Interior Health’s position that a person convicted of criminal charges of this nature is unable to fulfil the duties of the position”.
It could be recalled that De Villiers was placed on paid leave by Interior Health on June 8, 2021, the same day he was arrested and charged.
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