2021-10-13

Convicted sex offender denies historical charges

A 69-year-old Voglers Cove man charged with historical sex offences is testing the Crown's case against him in a preliminary inquiry next year.

The allegations of sexual intercourse without consent and sexual intercourse with a female under the age of 14 date back to May 1982 in New Germany. Charges were filed in June. The inquiry, a proceeding available to accused facing serious types of charges, takes place in Bridgewater provincial court in April. A judge will determine if there is enough evidence to sent the matter to trial.

The accused recently chose to have his trial held in Nova Scotia Supreme Court (NSSC), presided by a justice of the NSSC and no jury.

Michael Lynn Wentzell recently pleaded not guilty to the allegations against him, which have not been tested in court. He is presumed innocent.

Court records and documents obtained from the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) indicated Wentzell was sentenced a couple years ago to four years in federal prison for sexually assaulting and exploiting a girl in Lunenburg County over a period of years, starting in 2002. The charges were filed in 2017 and sentencing took place two years later. His punishment included having to register as a sex offender for life, along with other conditions.

"The victim reported being raped hundreds of times during this period, and indicated she was too afraid of you to tell anyone about the sexual assaults," reads details contained the 2020 PBC report.

In the summer of 2020, the PBC granted Wentzell six months day parole, which later became full parole.

Protesters planned a demonstration the same day, September 15, Wentzell denied the latest charges.

Weeks earlier, someone allegedly used an imitation long gun to fire a shot at Wentzell's Highway 331 home.

Records filed at the Bridgewater courthouse allege one man could see from his doorway another man pointing a gun towards his home from a nearby parked truck on September 3. Details concerning the alleged incident were outlined in an unsealed document law enforcement presented to a judge to justify a search warrant for a Highway 331 home in Cherry Hill.

Law enforcement seized a black .177 calibre Swiss Arms pellet gun and matching ammunition from the search. Single counts of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, using an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence and property mischief were filed against a Cherry Hill man. A suspect is due for arraignment November. Allegations against Terry Wayne Colp, 71, have not been tested in court and he is presumed innocent.

On October 1, bullet holes in a wall and window of a Highway 331 home in Voglers Cove were found after a resident there thought he or she earlier heard fireworks. Mounties are investigating the matter and received the public's help in identifying a person and car captured on video surveillance in the area.

The investigation concerning the incident is ongoing.