A man in southern Alberta has been charged with sexual assault and sexual interference after the Lethbridge Police Service said it received reports of incidents involving two young girls.
Police began investigating on July 18, after receiving a report that a 12-year-old girl had told a friend she had been sexually assaulted on several occasions by a man.
The girl reported three different incidents that occurred between June 2024 and this past May, police said.
During the course of the investigation, police said a second victim was identified.
In that case, a 10-year-old girl reported she had been sexually assaulted by the same man last summer.
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In both cases, the accused was a family friend who regularly spent time with the children, police said.
Nicholas Tilbe, 30, of Lethbridge, is charged with four counts of sexual interference and one count of sexual assault.
Sexual interference charges are laid when police believe a suspect has touched a person who is under the age of consent — in Canada, that’s under 16 years old — for a sexual purpose.
Tilbe is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 22 in relation to the first investigation and Sept. 8 in relation to the second.
The accused was released from custody with numerous conditions, including to have no contact with either victim or other children under the age of 16.
He is banned from going to public pools, schools, school grounds, daycares, playgrounds, youth shelters, or libraries unless accompanied by an adult family member.
He’s also prohibited from holding volunteer positions or being employed anywhere that would place him in a position of trust or authority over someone under 16.
Survivors seeking support can call Alberta’s ONE LiNE for Sexual Violence.
It’s a toll-free talk and text line at 1-866-403-8000 and online chat service that provides emotional support, information, and referral to anyone who has experienced or been impacted by sexual violence.
Support is available seven days a week (9 a.m. – 9 p.m. MST) with access to interpretation services in over 200 languages. Other provincial supports can be found here.
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