Hooker sweep
Twenty women aged 18-47 were arrested Aug 18 as part of the Ottawa police’s monthly blitz.
Arrests took place in Hintonburg, Centretown, the Byward Market and Vanier. Undercover male Ottawa police officers posed as johns.
Half of the women caught selling sex have been arrested previously and were held on bail. The rest were released with curfew and boundary conditions.
Ottawa police organized the “impromptu” sweep after getting calls from neighbours.
The sweep resulted in 65 criminal charges. None of the women qualified for the pre-charge diversion program.
Barrymore’s no more?
Barrymore’s Music Hall is temporarily closed to the public while owner Randy Lanctot finalizes the sale of his club.
Most of the club’s upcoming concerts have been cancelled, and the future of the Bank St venue, which hosts a slew of regular concerts and the popular ’80s and ’90s themed dance nights, is unknown.
Originally built in 1914 as a Vaudeville theatre, Barrymore’s has booked hundreds of notable rock shows since being converted into a concert venue in 1978.
Charge dropped in Dixie case
The sole count of assault has been withdrawn more than a year after Sheri-Lee Rand was charged, court documents show.
Rand was one of two people charged in relation to an incident at Centretown Pub on May 25, 2007. Ottawa drag queen Dixie Landers, also known as Michael Marcil, was injured during an altercation at that time.
Rand, 30, and Andrew Lefebvre were charged Jun 28, 2007. The two cases proceeded separately.
At a pre-trial Jun 18, 2008, Justice Fraser reduced the charge against Rand from assault causing bodily harm to a simple assault charge. At the time, the court heard from two witnesses, but Fraser ordered a publication ban on the proceedings.
Although Rand, 30, has been cleared, there are still outstanding charges in connection with the incident. Therefore, reporting on the substance of the witness’s testimony could jeopardize the second case.
Lefebvre will appear in court in Nov 4-7.
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