2 former Manitoba sheriffs face pre-trial on alleged sex assaults

Two former Manitoba sheriff's officers are facing a hearing todetermine if they should be tried formultiple sexual assault charges.

Richard Robert Gordon and Jackie Erin Burgoyneare charged withseveral counts of sexual assault as well asadministering a "stupefying substance" to overcome resistance to a sexual assault.

A pre-trial hearing is held to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to a full trial. A publication ban prevents any of the hearing from being reported.

• Pair of sheriff's officers accused of sexual assault

Police originally announced charges involving a single victim in October 2012. A woman claimed shehad met a couple in May of that year and went to a residence where she was allegedly drugged, causing her to pass out.

Police saidthe woman claims when she woke up, she discovered she had been sexually assaulted.

Once her story was reported in the media, threemore women came to police with the same allegations.

Sex-tape scandal

In 2007, Gordon and Burgoynealsomade headlines when they were temporarily suspended from their jobs by the Manitoba Justice Department after a sex tape they made with an adult entertainer showed up on the internet.

• Officers' sex video to remain off-line

The officers went to court to have the video removed, claiming they were too intoxicated to understand the consent form they signed.