File photo.
A man accused of unlawfully confining, sexually assaulting and robbing two University of Victoria students in January 2016 has been found guilty.
On Monday, a jury found 44-year-old David Robert Hope guilty of all seven charges against him.
Court heard that on Jan. 27, 2016, Hope broke into a Church Street apartment, then attacked and sexually assaulted two UVic international students.
The Crown said Hope then went with the students to two banks. They withdrew cash at the Scotiabank in Shelbourne Plaza and gave Hope the money. He then left, returned to his car and drove back to Duncan.
Hope was arrested in Saskatchewan in April 2016. He was charged with one count of break and enter, two counts of unlawful confinement or imprisonment, two counts of sexual assault and two counts of robbery. Court was told on Jan. 28, he started searching online for “Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers,” “Most Wanted” and local news sites.
Hope was brought back to Victoria for the trial.
Last week, Matsqui inmate Jean Jacques Nadeau said he was the one who committed the crimes. Nadeau and Hope served time together in pretrial custody on a sex offenders unit at Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre. The jury rejected Nadeau’s confession.
Hope’s sentencing date is expected to be set on Wednesday.
With files from Louise Dickson, Times Colonist
CHEK News
