A Richmond RCMP officer is denying allegations he exposed his genitals to Vancouver private school students while driving through Vancouver’s tony Shaughnessy neighbourhood in early 2019.
Andrew James Seangio, 37, is on trial in B.C. Supreme Court, facing a 10-count indictment that includes three counts of exposing his genital organs to people under 16 for a sexual purpose. The remaining seven counts involve allegations of committing an indecent act in public.
Crown prosecutor Geoff Baragar told Glacier Media the allegations include two undercover officers dressed as schoolgirls.
As Baragar closed his case on July 4, defence lawyer Glen Orris began by putting Seangio on the stand.
“He has not been involved in any illegal act,” Orris told the jury before Seangio was sworn in, adding his client was not picked out of photo line-ups shown to complainants.
Almost immediately, Orris asked, “Have you ever exposed yourself or masturbated while in your car?”
“No, I have not,” Seangio said.
Seangio told Orris before Justice Catherine Wedge that he was employed with the Richmond RCMP detachment and worked for military police reserves out of Richmond’s Colonel Sherman Armoury.
He said he drove to and from those places via Granville Street or Oak Street, occasionally detouring through Shaughnessy streets when traffic became heavy to save time in traffic or to take a call or a text on his phone.
He lived in downtown Vancouver at the time of the events.
He confirmed he had a black Hyundai Santa Fe sport utility vehicle.
The events in question occurred on Marguerite Street, Nanton Ave., West 29th Ave. and Oak Street.
The first three streets are close to the all-girl private schools, Little Flower Academy and York House School.
Under questioning from Orris, Seangio said he was unfamiliar with various Shaughnessy neighbourhood streets.
Then, during cross-examination, Baragar suggested the irregular driving routes and u-turns were “part of a pattern targeting young women, particularly schoolgirls.”
At one point, Baragar said, the car identified by other witnesses as Seangio’s in video from a residence showed the vehicle passing the house four times in 6-1/2 minutes and, at one point, doing a u-turn.
“How is that saving time?” Baragar asked, referring to Seangio’s earlier comments he would use the side streets to avoid traffic.
“I can’t tell you what caused me to deviate,” Seangio said. “I couldn’t confirm if it was my vehicle.”
And, Baragar noted, while under police surveillance, Seangio deviated into a neighbourhood past a police officer, did a u-turn and passed her again, something Seangio claimed not to remember.
Baragar asked if he would have been answering a phone call or text during the u-turn.
Seangio said on Feb. 28, 2019, he was not in the area but instead was at an ICBC office on MacDonald Street trying to renew a motorcycle licence.
Baragar, however, questioned why Seangio‘s cellphone records showed him further east than MacDonald based on cell tower locations pinged by his phone. Also in evidence were photos of Seangio leaving his downtown residence’s garage and fobbing back in.
“We can track your movements for that hour and 45 minutes continuously,” Baragar said. “You left home 45 minutes before school was to get out. Was that not correct?”
“No, I would disagree,” Seangio said.
A publication ban covers the identities of the complainants.
The case continues on July 5 with the wrapping up of evidence and lawyers’ final arguments to the court.
