Mark Edward Grant, 62, who was previously acquitted in a high-profile 1984 murder case, appeared via video link in a Vancouver courtroom on Wednesday facing multiple serious charges.

New Criminal Allegations

The accused faces charges of unlawful confinement, sexual assault, assault with a weapon, and uttering threats. During the brief court appearance, Grant, wearing red prison attire and glasses, agreed through his legal representation to remain in custody while a bail plan is developed. The case has been adjourned until February 2.

The charges stem from an alleged incident on January 8 in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, where a woman in her 60s reported being sexually assaulted inside a residential building near East Hastings Street and Columbia Street. A publication ban is in effect regarding case details, and Grant has been ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim.

Historical Context

Grant’s current charges come years after his involvement in another significant criminal case. In 2017, he was acquitted of second-degree murder charges in the 1984 death of 13-year-old Candace Derksen from Winnipeg. The teenager had disappeared while walking home from school in November 1984, and her bound body was discovered six weeks later in an industrial shed.

Complex Legal History

The path to Grant’s acquittal was complex. Initially arrested in 2007, he was found guilty in 2011 based on DNA evidence from twine used to bind the victim. However, the Supreme Court of Canada later overturned this conviction, leading to a new trial in 2017. During the retrial, the DNA evidence was deemed unreliable due to deterioration over time, resulting in his acquittal.

Wilma Derksen, mother of Candace, has expressed renewed interest in the current proceedings, noting that her family has persevered through the years while wondering what new information might emerge from these latest allegations.