A Lethbridge judge has found Sohil Bindra guilty of sexual offences against three different women while dismissing one charge of sexual assault against a fourth on Tuesday.
In all, Judge Jerry LeGrandeur declared Bindra guilty of two counts of sexual assault, one count of house breaking to commit sexual assault and three counts of administering a noxious substance.
Bindra was also found guilty of two drug offenses, possession of cocaine and possession of GHB.
During his trial in late 2021, one woman testified she was sexually assaulted by Bindra in a vehicle outside a nightclub in the spring of 2018.
Another woman told the court she stayed at Bindra’s home after a work party in December of 2018 where Bindra poured her a drink. The two were watching TV in his bed where the woman says she fell asleep and awoke to Bindra sexually assaulting her.
A third woman testified that in February of 2020, Bindra drove her and a friend home from a bar, then he later returned to the home to sexually assault her.
One count of sexual assault relating to that case was Kienappled as the judge had already found Bindra guilty of house breaking to commit sexual assault. The Kienapple Principle prevents multiple convictions for a single criminal act.
In all three cases, the victims testified they also suffered varying degrees of memory loss and felt physically unwell leading up to the assaults.
Bindra also faced one count of sexual assault relating to the third woman’s friend, but that was dismissed by the judge who said the crown failed to prove that assault beyond a reasonable doubt.
The women in this case cannot be named under a publication ban.
In his decision, LeGrandeur said he did not accept Bindra’s testimony as credit-worthy, calling it ‘evasive’ and saying there were discrepancies between his testimony and what he previously provided to police in a voluntary statement.
The parties will meet again on May 17 to schedule a sentencing date.
Bindra faces two additional trials later this year for similar charges involving two other women.