A 22-year-old London, Ont. man accused of a dozen criminal harassment counts relating to incidents in which women alleged they were harassed or followed, including on the campus of Western University, has again been granted release from custody with conditions.
Saranjeet Singh appeared virtually in court on Tuesday for a bail hearing before Justice of the Peace Frank Leddy and was granted release from custody pending the approval of a residential surety with whom he can live and be supervised by.
Singh will remain in custody at Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre, where he has been held since Nov. 13, until the surety is approved by a justice of the peace. It’s not exactly clear when Singh will be released. He will appear in court again on Jan. 18.
Evidence and testimony presented during the bail hearing, including the reasons for the release, are under a publication ban.
Tuesday marks the second time in as many months that Singh has appeared before court for a bail hearing and been granted release from custody with conditions.
Singh was previously released from custody on Nov. 5, but was rearrested by police just over a week later on Nov. 13 — his third arrest in less than a month. He has been in custody since.
Singh currently faces 12 counts of criminal harassment, one count of assault, and two counts of failing to comply with a release order stemming from incidents dating between Oct. 16 and Nov. 13.
In the incidents, at least 12 women alleged being harassed and/or followed by a male suspect, including one who said they were physically grabbed.
At least four of Singh’s charges — three of harassment and one of failing to comply with a release order — have not been previously reported and were sworn in during his time in custody on Nov. 19 and Nov. 22, court documents show.
The conditions that Singh must adhere to as part of Tuesday’s release order are virtually identical to the ones he was ordered to follow when he was released in early November.
Singh is ordered to reside with his still-to-be-approved surety and remain in the residence from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m., with exceptions, such as being in the presence of his surety.
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Like his previous release order, Singh must not attend an area of London bounded by Fanshawe Park Road, Adelaide Street, Queens Avenue/Riverside Drive, and Wonderland Road.
His release also comes with a promise that his surety pay $2,000 to the court, and that Singh himself pay $2,000 if he violates a condition of the release order.
Singh is also ordered to not contact, by any means, 14 people connected with his case, or be within 100 metres of where they live, work or go to school. He must also not possess any weapons, or consume, possess or purchase cannabis.
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“You told me you understood all the conditions of the order. Do you promise to follow them?” Leddy asked Singh.
“Yes, sir,” Singh replied.
“You understand what will happen if you do not?”
“Yes, sir.”
London police initially took the 22-year-old into custody on Oct. 19 and charged him with five counts of criminal harassment by repeated following in relation to incidents on and near Western’s campus on Oct. 18 and 19.
Five young women, four aged 18 and one aged 21, told police that they had been harassed and followed by a man in a black Honda Civic on Elgin Road and in the area of Richmond Street and University Drive.
Singh was released by police and was rearrested days later on Oct. 23, charged with criminal harassment by repeated following. Police alleged he followed a woman, 21, home on Patricia Street, parked his vehicle in the driveway of the home, knocked on the door, and then sat outside in his vehicle.
At the same time, police also charged Singh with a count of criminal harassment by repeated following, and criminal harassment by watching and besetting following an investigation into prior incidents that were alleged to have occurred between Oct. 16 and 18. Few details have been released about those allegations.
Singh remained in custody until Nov. 5 when he was released on bail with a promise to pay $2,000 and adhere to several conditions, including that he reside with his mother or father at his southeast London home, and that he remain there between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. with exceptions, like when in the presence of his surety or his mother or father.
Upon his release, police issued a warning to the public about Singh’s charges along with a mugshot, advising Londoners “to not approach or engage with the accused.”
Singh is described as having a dark complexion, five-foot-eight in height, weighing 150 pounds, with brown eyes, short black hair and a full black beard.
Roughly a week later, police arrested the 22-year-old for a third time on Nov. 13 and charged him with assault, criminal harassment by threatening conduct, and failing to comply with a release order in relation to an incident near Adelaide Street and Commissioners Road that morning.
Police said at the time that a woman, 28, alleged being assaulted by a male suspect who had watched her, ran across the roadway and then grabbed her.
The woman ran into a nearby business and called police, while the suspect remained outside and continued to watch her, police said.
Singh has remained in custody since his arrest.
At least four other charges, three of criminal harassment and one more of failing to comply with a release order, were laid subsequent to the Nov. 13 arrest.
No details, however, have been publicly released about the alleged incidents.
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