Music teacher sex assault trial pushed to November after schedule scramble

The trial of a Regina music teacher accused of sexual assault won’t resume proceedings again for months.

Justice Holli Kuski Bassett has scheduled the trial to return on Nov. 16.

Claro Belen is accused of sexual assault in connection to a nine-year-old girl’s percussion lesson two years ago.

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He has pleaded not guilty to four charges including sexual assault, touching the girl with a part of his body for a sexual purpose, exposing his genitals to her and invitation to sexual touching when the trial began at Regina Court of King’s Bench on Monday.

Crown prosecutor Jillian Borrowman said one of the witnesses was unavailable to testify until after Tuesday. That caused a large scheduling conflict, resulting in Kuski Bassett adjourning the trial for months.

Four witnesses have already testified during the trial, including the complainant, who was nine years old at the time when police recorded her statement.

The girl alleged that Belen laid on top of her during a Saturday music lesson in his office, while her sister was behind a closed door in the band equipment storage room.

She accused Belen of sexually assaulting her in the bathroom of the music studio, after she asked to use the washroom to get out from underneath him.

“It was like the worst feeling I could ever imagine,” she testified on Monday.

The child testified that she couldn’t remember the specific calendar date on when the alleged sexual assault occurred.

The Crown submitted an application to amend the Belen’s indictment from Feb. 3, 2024, to a span of several months the child attended music classes with Belen.

Defence lawyer Nicholas Robinson opposed the “seismic shift” in dates, arguing the date is essential for how a lawyer prepares for trial.

Kuski Baskett approved amendments to Belen’s indictment that would expand the dates of the alleged offence from Aug. 1, 2023, to Feb. 3, 2024.

The trial will resume with a voir dire in November.