A 64-year-old Okotoks man has been charged with sexually assaulting a girl almost 50 years his junior he befriended when working at a Calgary art studio.
It’s alleged the man befriended the teen in May 2009 while he worked at a southwest Calgary art supply store and studio. He was an instructor at the studio and the girl was a student and customer.
“The sexual assaults happened over a seven or eight month period at his residence and at the arts studio after hours,” said Calgary Police Insp. Rob Williams.
The teen eventually stopped going to the studio and the two were not in contact afterwards.
Williams said the girl stepped forward to report the assaults to Calgary Police in December 2010.
He said he doesn’t know what delayed the girl’s decision to come forward.
“Maybe she needed to get some support from her family or maybe she was embarrassed,” said Williams. “There’s a 50-year age difference here, but regardless we applaud her for coming forward.”
To date, this is the only incident police are investigating in regards to this male, said Williams.
Terrence Lee Andrews, 64, was arrested at his home in Okotoks on April 28. Calgary Police have charged Andrews with sexual interference with a child under 16, invitation to sexual touching with a child under 16 and sexual contact with a youth by person in authority.
Andrews is scheduled to appear in Calgary Provincial Court on May 4.
Police encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual assault to report it, no matter how much time may have passed.
