Woodstock Police arrest two following violent sexual assault

Lee Griffi, Editor

Police have laid charges against two men after what they are calling a “violent incident” on the afternoon of Sept. 16.

A massive police presence occurred at 4 p.m. on Sept. 16 on Wellington Street after the report of a woman being assaulted and sexually assaulted.

“Members of the Woodstock Police Service Uniform Patrol, Emergency Response Unit, Criminal Investigations Branch and Street Crime Unit responded to the area of King Street and Wellington Street South following a report of a violent incident,” said a police press release.

“Upon arrival, officers located a female victim in the area who had sustained injuries. The investigation determined the female had been sexually assaulted and assaulted by a person known to her. Bystanders intervened and assisted the female. During the intervention, a male suspect was assaulted by intervening members of the public,” it added.

The female victim has been released from hospital.

As a result of the investigation, a 35-year-old male from London was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and sexual assault. He was remanded into custody following a recent bail hearing. A 29-year-old from Woodstock was charged with assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Police say the latter was arrested for an alleged assault on the 35-year-old.

Police said they worked quickly to locate the assault suspect, who was arrested a short time later through the coordinated efforts of the responding units.

The investigation is continuing into other parties involved, and the victim was taken to hospital to be treated for serious injuries.

“This investigation is being led by the Woodstock Police Service's Special Victims Unit (SVU), which investigates offences involving vulnerable persons and victims of serious interpersonal crimes, including sexual assaults, human trafficking, intimate partner and domestic violence, and elder abuse. The SVU takes a trauma-informed, victim-centred approach and works with victims to connect them with appropriate community supports and services. Anyone experiencing violence or abuse is encouraged to reach out to police and local community support agencies,” added the release.

After the Echo published the story online, some members of the public expressed concerns about the arrest of the Woodstock man, prompting police to issue a statement.

“The Woodstock Police Service is aware of public discussion regarding the charges laid in connection with the September 16, 2026, investigation, including comments suggesting that police are discouraging bystanders from intervening to help others. We want to address this directly.”

It added police are not discouraging anyone from intervening to protect another person from harm.

“Bystanders who take reasonable action to help someone in danger play an important role in community safety, and the Woodstock Police Service supports that. The Criminal Code recognizes the right of any person to use force to defend themselves or another person and permits reasonable force in doing so,” it added.

Whether or not force used is reasonable depends on the specific circumstances of each case, including factors such as the nature of the threat and the nature of the force used in response.

“In this case, our investigation determined that a prohibited weapon was used during the intervention. The use of a prohibited weapon is a significant factor in any legal assessment of whether the force applied was reasonable, which is why charges resulted in this specific instance.”

Police added it's also important to understand that being accused of a crime does not remove a person's protection under the law. If an assault occurs against anyone, including a person who is themselves facing charges, police have a duty to investigate and apply the law accordingly. The justice system does not permit selective enforcement based on who the victim is alleged to be.

“We recognize the public's interest in this case, but we are limited in the further detail we can release. Providing additional specifics at this stage carries a real risk of affecting the ongoing judicial process for the victim and all individuals charged. We take that responsibility seriously, and it is why our public statements will remain measured while these matters are before the court. We ask the public to allow the judicial process to run its course before drawing conclusions.”