A 37-year-old Saskatoon man is facing more charges of sexual assault and forcible confinement after an incident at the Regional Psychiatric Centre (RPC) in Saskatoon earlier this month.
On Sept. 5, Joseph Yaremko appeared by video in Saskatoon Provincial Court via the RPC entering not-guilty pleas on the new set of charges. Yaremko told the court he plans to represent himself once this matter proceeds to trial.
A provincial court judge, considering the seriousness of the charges, advised Yaremko he would still need to seek the help of a lawyer to cross-examine victims and witnesses related to this case.
Court documents allege Yaremko sexually assaulted a psychiatric centre employee on Aug. 15. The employee cannot be named under a publication ban ordered by the court. Yaremko was at RPC undergoing a psychiatric assessment related to another set of charges stemming from an alleged sexual assault in June at an apartment complex in Stonebridge.
A 21-year-old woman told police a man knocked on her door and forced his way inside and sexually assaulted her at her apartment in the 100 block of Wellman Crescent. Officers arrested Yaremko at the apartment where he was sleeping.
Following his first court appearance on those charges, Yaremko was ordered to undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment before his case moved forward.
Following the incident at RPC, Yaremko was transferred to the Regina Correctional Centre where he told court he was “put in the hole” and slapped with upgraded handcuffs.
Yaremko’s next court appearance is set for Sept. 19 for self-case management, an administrative process where the Crown and defence prepare for trial and address any preliminary matters.
In April 2014, Yaremko escaped Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford where he was in a psychiatric rehabilitation program. Police believe an accomplice picked him up outside the hospital.
Two days later Yaremko barricaded himself in a Saskatoon apartment in the 2100 block of Seventh Street East. He was taken into custody after a six-hour standoff with police.
