Lethbridge Police have charged a convicted sex offender in an attack on a 15 year old Lethbridge girl.
Police believe the 59 year old man entered a north side home through a basement door Monday morning sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. and found the victim asleep.
Investigators say the man took steps to prevent her from screaming and waking up the other members of her family and then proceeded to sexually assault her.
Police say multiple officers responded to the home around 5:00 a.m. after receiving a 9-1-1 call.
They cordoned off the area and just before 5:30 a.m. they found a man matching the description and arrested him without incident.
Darral Gerard Courtoreille faces several charges including sexual assault and sexual interference.
Courtoreille has a violent past and CTV News has confirmed he is the same man who has faced sex assault charges over 10 years ago.
Back in January of 2004, Courtoreille was released from prison after serving two years for sexual interference involving a minor.
He pleaded guilty in May 2004 to sexual interference of a minor and in December of that year was sentenced to 18 months behind bars.
In December 2005, Lethbridge police warned about his release from the Calgary Correction Centre where he was designated a high risk offender after he refused to complete a rehabilitation program for sex offenders.
In June of 2006, Lethbridge police warned Courtoreille was moving to another address in that city.
Courtoreille is currently in custody and awaiting a Judicial Interim Release hearing.
We’ll have more on this story Tuesday morning when Staff Sgt. Scott Woods, with the Lethbridge Police Service’s Criminal Investigation Section, speaks with the media.
