An Ottawa police constable who was demoted last month for picking up a woman and having sex with her while on duty 17 years ago is now facing a criminal charge of sexual assault related to the incident.

The charge against Const. Richard Lemay is the result of a private prosecution filed by the woman at the Ottawa Courthouse in July. Private prosecutions can be filed by anyone who believes there are reasonable and probable grounds that someone has committed a crime.

CBC is not naming the woman because she is an alleged victim of sexual assault.

An in-camera hearing was held before a justice of the peace on Sept. 26, court records show. Afterward, the Crown intervened and a summons was issued compelling Lemay to appear in court to answer the charge.

That means the case will move thro

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