KENTVILLE, NS - One of the charges against a former Annapolis Valley tennis instructor accused of child luring has been dismissed with the Crown offering no evidence.
Aaron Byron Cumberland, 27, of no fixed address, was present in Kentville provincial court on Oct. 10. A charge 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 was dismissed with the Crown offering no evidence. It had been alleged that Cumberland committed the offence in Kentville between March 1 and June 30, 2016.
Cumberland still faces several other charges, including another 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.
Cumberland has pleaded not guilty to this charge and elected trial by provincial court judge. He is scheduled to stand trial on Dec. 4.
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Cumberland faces three other counts, including communicating with a person under age 16 by means of telecommunications for the purpose of facilitating the commission of the offence of 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. Cumberland has elected Supreme Court trial by judge and jury on these charges. A preliminary inquiry is scheduled for Dec. 10. Charges against Cumberland have not been proven in court.
The remaining charges involve two alleged victims from Kings County. Their identities are protected by publication bans.
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.
The court revoked Cumberland’s conditional release on Sept. 4. He is being held in custody on a due-course-of-law remand until his next appearance.
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.
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.
- With files from Ian Fairclough, the Chronicle Herald
