KENTVILLE, NS - A former Annapolis Valley tennis instructor facing child luring charges will be back in court later this month as the Crown seeks to have his conditional release revoked.
Aaron Byron Cumberland, 27, of no fixed address, wasn’t present in provincial court on July 24, when a warrant was granted for his arrest. He was present in Kentville provincial court in custody on the executed warrant on Aug. 1
Cumberland has consented to being remanded in custody until his next court appearance on Aug. 14, when the Crown will make a motion to revoke his bail. Cumberland was released from custody on his own $1,000 recognizance with conditions following a Nov. 20, 2017 appearance in Halifax provincial court.
His release conditions included not using or possessing electronic devices capable of accessing the Internet and surrendering his passport to the Lower Sackville RCMP.
Along with two people from Fredericton, Cumberland was apprehended on May 31 on the American side of the Maine-New Brunswick border. U.S. border patrol officers charged them with unlawful entry after they were seen walking near Houlton, a spot that isn’t designated as a point of entry.
An affidavit submitted to the U.S. court alleged that Cumberland had a cellphone and laptop computer in his possession when he was arrested in Maine.
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Before being returned to Nova Scotia, Cumberland was deported from the U.S. to New Brunswick, where a warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of breaching conditions of his recognizance.
Cumberland, a former Kentville resident, was named Tennis Nova Scotia’s Coach of the Year in 2013. He worked as executive director of the CANgaroo Athletic Association, which put on tennis skill development sessions - including school programs - in several Kings and Hants county communities.
Facing several sex-related charges
In Nova Scotia, Cumberland is charged with communicating with a person under the age of 18 by means of telecommunications for the purpose of facilitating the commission of an offence under Section 163.1 of the Criminal Code. This section relates to child pornography.
It’s alleged that Cumberland committed the offence in Kentville between March 1 and June 30, 2016. He has pleaded not guilty to this charge and is scheduled to stand trial on Oct. 10.
He is also charged with communicating with a person under age 16 by means of telecommunications for the purpose of facilitating the commission of an offence under Section 152 of the Criminal Code, which relates to invitation to sexual touching; making sexually explicit material available to a person under age 16 and invitation to sexual touching.
It’s alleged that Cumberland committed these offences in Windsor between Nov. 2 and 5, 2017. He has elected a Supreme Court judge and jury trial on these charges. His preliminary inquiry was scheduled for June but has been delayed, as he was still in custody in the U.S.
Cumberland is facing a second count of communicating with a person under the age of 18 by means of telecommunications for the purpose of facilitating the commission of an offence relating to child pornography.
It’s alleged that Cumberland committed this offence in Windsor between March 1 and June 30, 2017. He has pleaded not guilty to this charge and is scheduled to stand trial on Oct. 3.
The identities of the three alleged victims, all from Kings County, are protected by publication bans. Sex-related charges against Cumberland have not been proven in court.
- With files from Ian Fairclough, the Chronicle Herald
