Greek police have arrested a 50-year-old Taber man facing multiple sexual assault charges. Jorden VanVoorthuizen, a former Taber resident who has been living abroad, was arrested in Messinia, Greece last week and is awaiting extradition back to Canada to face two counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual interference. The charges were laid May 1, 2011 after a year-long investigation by Taber police. They stem from incidents that allegedly occurred over seven years in Taber, from 1995 to 2001, involving victims who were under 16 at the time. The two victims, who no longer live in Taber, reported the incidents to police years after the accused had moved to Greece.

"We don't believe he was fleeing from the charges," said Taber police Insp. Graham Abela.
VanVoorthuizen knew the alleged victims, Abela said, but he said police would not expand on the accused's relationship with the victims nor would they say whether the victims were male or female.
Taber's police service, in consultation with the Lethbridge Crown prosecutors office, is working with the federal justice department to bring VanVoorthuizen back to Canada. He is currently in custody in Messinia pending an extradition hearing.
Insp. Abela said he's unsure when that will happen.
"Our intention is, hopefully if the extradition hearing goes well, that he'll be coming back to Taber Provincial Court to answer to the charges as they occurred within our jurisdiction," he said, explaining Taber police have never before had to ask for extradition.