Send this page to someone via email Port Moody Mayor Rob Vagramov has been charged with sexual assault. The charge relates to an incident alleged to have happened in Coquitlam on April 1, 2015. Vagramov was a city councillor at the time. City council held an emergency meeting Thursday afternoon to discuss the allegations. WATCH: Disturbing news the mayor of Port Moody has been charged with sexual assault. Sarah MacDonald reports on this developing story. 1:46 Special prosecutor appointed as Port Moody mayor faces serious criminal allegations Special prosecutor appointed as Port Moody mayor faces serious criminal allegations – Mar 28, 2019 LISTEN: Port Moody mayor charged with sexual assault Story continues below advertisement “When I heard the news today, I’m sure I feel as many others do I’ve been deeply troubled by the news, and saddened for everyone involved,” said Coun. Zoë Royer ahead of the meeting. Royer said councillors would have a conversation in a closed meeting, but wouldn’t speculate on whether Vagramov could continue to serve as mayor in the wake of the allegations. #BREAKING: @CityofPoMo councillor Zoë Royer gives us her response to the sexual assault charge against #PortMoody mayor Rob Vagramov ahead of an emergency city council meeting at 3pm. Says, if it were her, she’d step aside while the case played out in the courts. @GlobalBC pic.twitter.com/fjaGiWjnb3 — Sarah MacDonald (@smacdonald__) March 28, 2019 “Canada is a democracy where we are innocent until proven guilty, but having said that there is a deep burden on the community, and council will make that decision,” she said. “We have very important decisions to make. And it’s decisions that ensure that the residents in our community come first and that city business continues to function in a very efficient way, so I am not sure what the discussion will be today, but I think that we have some critical decisions to make.” Vagramov responded to the allegation following the emergency council meeting, calling it false and saying he plans to fight the charge while taking a leave of absence from council starting Friday. “When the allegation first surfaced during the October election campaign, I was horrified and and taken completely by surprise,” he said. “I intend to pursue [the allegations] in the court of law, where they belong.” Story continues below advertisement WATCH: Port Moody Mayor Rob Vagramov announces he will take a leave of absence to fight the charge in court 3:33 Port Moody mayor announces leave of absence following charges made against him Port Moody mayor announces leave of absence following charges made against him – Mar 28, 2019 The BC Prosecution Service (BCPS) says Vancouver lawyer Michael Klein was the special prosecutor in the case on Dec. 17, 2018, but the announcement was postponed pending the approval of charges. READ MORE: Former Pitt Meadows councillor guilty of sex assault sentenced to 9 months in jail It says Klein was appointed “to avoid any potential for real or perceived improper influence in the administration of justice in light of the nature of the allegations and the identity of the accused as an elected municipal official.” WATCH: Port Moody candidate caught shotgunning beer with homeless man 1:09 Port Moody candidate caught shotgunning beer with homeless man Port Moody candidate caught shotgunning beer with homeless man – Sep 26, 2018 Klein has been given a mandate to give legal advice to RCMP investigators, as well as conduct related charge assessments and lead prosecution of any charges approved, the BCPS said. Story continues below advertisement One such charge has now been approved, and Vagramov is due for his first appearance in Port Coquitlam Provincial Court on April 25. Vagramov was elected mayor of Port Moody in last October’s municipal election and had previously served as one of the city’s youngest-ever city councillors. He has previously faced controversy after a 2014 social media video surfaced depicting him asking a homeless man to shotgun a beer in exchange for a sandwich. —With files from Sean Boynton<doc-sep>Share this Story: Port Moody mayor charged with sexual assault, takes paid leave of absence Port Moody mayor charged with sexual assault, takes paid leave of absence The incident is alleged to have taken place in Coquitlam on April 1, 2015. A special prosecutor approved the charge. Photo by DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS Article content Port Moody Mayor Rob Vagramov is taking a paid leave of absence after being charged with sexual assault relating to an incident alleged to have taken place four years ago. Vagramov has denied the allegation. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Port Moody mayor charged with sexual assault, takes paid leave of absence Back to video “When the allegation surfaced during the election campaign last year, I was horrified and taken completely by surprise,” Vagramov told reporters on Thursday afternoon. “I want to be absolutely clear: This allegation is false. I intend on fighting it every step of the way, including filing a suit for defamation for this continued attack on my character.” Vagramov said he had taken a lie-detector test and passed the results on to “authorities”. “As someone who has been in contact with victims of sexual assault, I hope this does not take away from the validity of other cases. I am thankful to live in a place where the police take such claims extremely seriously,” he said. “I look forward to clearing my name in court.” Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The charge was sworn in B.C. provincial court on Wednesday, and announced by the B.C. Prosecution Service in a statement on Thursday. Vagramov’s first court appearance is scheduled for April 25 in Port Coquitlam. The assault is alleged to have happened on April 1, 2015. Vagramov was first elected to council in 2014, and was voted in as mayor during the municipal election last October. He was 26 years old when he became mayor. “Obviously, it’s quite shocking and disappointing to see that this has happened,” said Coun. Meghan Lahti, who has served on council for 20 years. “From my perspective, as a member of council, the most important thing for me is the business of the city needs to be the priority of council and we not get sort of wrapped up in something that is superfluous to council.” Vagramov will also stand down from his position on the Port Moody Police Board. More On This Topic Port Moody mayoral candidate explains why he gave a homeless man a beer MLA Rick Glumac retracts endorsement of Port Moody mayoral candidate Rob Vagramov Outgoing Port Moody mayor Mike Clay reflects on election loss Municipalities ask province for help to deal with politicians facing criminal charges According to the B.C. Prosecution Service, senior Vancouver lawyer Michael Klein was appointed as special prosecutor in the case in December. Assistant deputy attorney-general Peter Juk appointed Klein because “he considered it in the public interest to do so.” Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “The appointment of a special prosecutor is intended to avoid any potential for real or perceived improper influence in the administration of justice in light of the nature of the allegations and the identity of the accused as an elected municipal official,” the prosecution service said in its statement. Klein’s appointment was kept under wraps until the investigation and charge approval were completed. Before the municipal election, Vagramov faced criticism after a video from 2014 surfaced, in which he offered to buy lunch for a homeless man — if the man shotgunned a beer with him. Vagramov said in the video that he was doing it as a “random act of kindness.” After the video became widely distributed, Vagramov defended himself by saying he was fresh out of college at the time, but admitted that it was a “super-cringey” video and not the best idea. Vagramov is not the first elected official in B.C. to deal with legal issues while in office. Former Pitt Meadows councillor David Murray was charged with and later convicted of sexual assault. Shortly after his conviction in October 2017, under pressure from fellow councillors and the public, Murray resigned his seat on council. In 2007, the mayor of Port Coquitlam stepped aside for a few weeks to deal with criminal charges. Even after he was convicted and given a conditional sentence and probation, Scott Young continued to serve as mayor. He ran, unsuccessfully, as a councillor in the next election. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content In both cases, there was no mechanism for the council member to be removed from office. Council members can only be disqualified from office if they miss 60 days or four consecutive council meetings, unless the absence is due to illness or injury, or taken with leave from council. Last fall, at the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference in Whistler, two resolutions — both of which passed — reflected the frustration of municipalities that have to deal with this kind of situation. One came from the City of Terrace, and said elected officials charged with serious criminal offences should be required to take a paid leave of absence from office from the day Crown approves charges until the court process is complete. An official who is convicted of a crime would be disqualified from office. The second resolution was from Pitt Meadows, and asked that the province change legislation, which could include the Local Government Act, to require an elected official to go on unpaid leave immediately upon conviction until any appeals have been resolved, at which time the official would be disqualified from office. “I’ve asked staff to do some of that work to take a look at how we can address these very delicate situations,” Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Selina Robinson told reporters in Victoria on Thursday.<doc-sep>Open this photo in gallery Port Moody Mayor Robert Vagramov reads a statement during a news conference at City Hall on Thursday, March 28, 2019. DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press Port Moody Mayor Robert Vagramov is taking a leave of absence after being charged with sexual assault stemming from an incident alleged to have occurred in 2015. Mr. Vagramov said the allegation is false and that he will be challenging it in court. “When the allegation surfaced during the election campaign last year, I was horrified and taken completely by surprise,” he told media on Thursday, reading from a prepared statement. Story continues below advertisement “The tale grew as it was being told, and I want to be absolutely clear: This allegation is false. I intend on fighting it every step of the way, including filing a suit for defamation for this continued attack on my character.” Mr. Vagramov made his comments at City Hall, hours after B.C.’s Prosecution Service announced that the mayor had been charged with sexual assault stemming from an incident alleged to have occurred in Coquitlam four years ago. Mayor and council convened an emergency meeting later that day. The mayor said he has co-operated with authorities throughout the investigation, “including agreeing to a polygraph test about the events in question, which I have passed and which I have provided to the authorities.” Mr. Vagramov said his leave of absence, from his roles as mayor and chair of the police board, will begin Friday. Councillor Diana Dilworth will serve as acting mayor. The prosecution service said in a statement that Michael Klein, a senior Vancouver lawyer in private practice, was appointed special prosecutor for this case on Dec. 17, 2018, but the announcement was postponed pending completion of the investigation and approval of charges. “Following consultation with the special prosecutor, and taking into account the specific circumstances of the case, the branch concluded that issuing a media statement announcing the appointment was appropriate at this time,” the statement read. Mr. Vagramov is scheduled to make his first appearance in Port Coquitlam Provincial Court on April 25. Story continues below advertisement He first joined Port Moody city council in 2014 and was elected mayor last October, ousting incumbent Mike Clay. Elected at age 26, he is the city’s youngest-ever mayor. Mr. Vagramov drew criticism during the election campaign when a 2014 video surfaced showing him asking a homeless man to shotgun a beer in exchange for a sandwich as part of a “random acts of kindness” challenge. He later explained in a Facebook video that he had been “fresh out of college” at the time, and that his “heart’s in the right place but obviously, super cringey watching that now.”<doc-sep>Port Moody Mayor Rob Vagramov has taken a leave of absence, after a special prosecutor approved a sex assault charge against him. "The allegation that has led to the charge is false and will be strongly challenged in court," said Vagramov, adding that he would launch a defamation suit of his own. "I expect that this legal matter will reach the stage where preparing properly for my defence will take my full-time attention, and will take away from my ability to complete the work I was elected to to do as mayor of Port Moody." The assault is alleged to have happened in Coquitlam on April 1, 2015, court records show. Michael Klein was appointed as special prosecutor to look into the allegations against Vagramov in December, according to a news release from the B.C. Prosecution Service. The sex assault charge was sworn on Wednesday. Vagramov is scheduled to make his first court appearance in provincial court in Port Coquitlam on April 25. "As someone who has been in contact with victims of sexual assault, I hope this false accusation does not take away from the validity of other cases," he said. Emergency council meeting Vagramov made his statement after an emergency council meeting this afternoon. While he could have stayed on as mayor during the legal battle, he quickly requested to temporarily step down. Before the meeting, Coun. Meghan Lahti had indicated her preference Vagramov take a leave. "My concern from the get-go was that we proceed with good governance in the city. Having that kind of burden, from the press and residents, if he's not at council then we've removed that cloud from the city," she said. Coun. Diana Dilworth is acting mayor, and council will determine a rotating structure for the position going forward, said Lahti, who cautioned that Vagramov's absence could be lengthy. "We have to be prepared ... we'll probably want to look at the remainder of the calendar year and see how it goes," she said. "While [Port Moody residents'] faith may have been shaken ... they can rest assured their council is going to provide the best governance they can during this time." Past controversy Vagramov was elected mayor last fall at the age of 26, after four years on council. He is currently the youngest mayor in B.C. During his campaign for mayor, Vagramov came under fire for a 2014 video that showed him asking a homeless man to shotgun a beer in exchange for a sandwich. When the video surfaced, he told CBC he "wouldn't have made it today," but also denounced the attention as a "smear campaign." No rules for removing officials There is no process in British Columbia for removing elected local politicians or forcing them to take a leave of absence, if charged or convicted of a serious crime. In 2018, municipalities voted at their annual convention to ask the provincial government to change those rules — but to date, it hasn't taken action. "The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing takes these matters very seriously; however, this is a sensitive issue, triggering complex policy, legal, and practical questions," it said to the Union of B.C. Municipalities. "Ministry staff are currently reviewing potential options to address the issues raised; however, any proposed changes in this area are intricate and must be considered carefully." Municipal Affairs Minister Selina Robinson echoed those comments in a statement Thursday. "Staff are actively exploring the sensitive issues raised by the resolution and will be providing me with options for how we can better support local governments in situations like this, including whether legislative changes are necessary," Robinson said. "The public should be able to have confidence in their elected officials and I take this issue very seriously. "<doc-sep>
PORT MOODY, B.C. -- The mayor of Port Moody, B.C., says he is taking a leave of absence to clear his name after being charged with sexual assault. Robert Vagramov said Thursday that preparing a defence will require his full attention as he fights the charge in court, so he has decided to take a leave of absence starting Friday. "The allegation that has led to the charge that is out there is false and will be strongly challenged in court," he told a news conference. "When the allegation surfaced during the election campaign last year, I was horrified and taken completely by surprise. Now the tale grew as it was being told, and I want to be absolutely clear this allegation is false. I intend on fighting it every step of the way including filing a suit for defamation for this continued attack on my character." Vagramov said he has co-operated with the authorities during their investigation, adding that he has passed a polygraph test and provided the results to them. "As someone who has been in contact with victims of sexual assault, I hope that this false accusation does not take away from validity of other cases and I am thankful to live in a place where the police take such claims extremely seriously," he said. "I look forward to airing and clearing my name in court." The B.C. Prosecution Service said in a statement Thursday it appointed lawyer Michael Klein as a special prosecutor in relation to an investigation of a sexual assault alleged to have occurred in Coquitlam in 2015. The service said Klein approved the charge and Vagramov is to appear in Port Coquitlam provincial court on April 25. Vagramov was 28 when he was elected mayor last fall after serving one term on council. The Prosecution Service said Klein was appointed in December because it was considered in the public interest to do so. The appointment of a special prosecutor is intended to avoid any potential for real or perceived improper influence in the administration of justice.