Penticton Coun. James Miller will be back in Ontario court in February in the next stage of proceedings over historical charges of sexual crimes.
Miller had a court appearance in Sarnia on Jan. 7, where he elected to have his case heard by a judge alone.
He is facing 11 charges currently, which include seven counts of sexual interference and three counts of invitation to sexual touching alongside one count of sexual assault on a person under the age of 16 that emerged from investigations into historical allegations.
The charges date back to a time when Miller was a youth basketball coach in Sarnia.
Miller was initially charged in August of 2024 with two counts of sexual interference and two counts of sexual assault on a person under the age of 16 following two separate historical sexual assault investigations in Sarnia.
In November, further charges were brought forward by the Sarnia Police Service, and he now faces 11 total counts, with seven counts of sexual interference and three counts of invitation to sexual touching alongside the sexual assault.
None of the charges have been proven in court.
After his arrest on a Canada-wide warrant in August, Miller has been on mandatory leave from his position as councillor.
Despite the length of his absence and the uncertainty as to when and how his case will be resolved, in early January he sent the city a letter informing them that he he intended to serve out his term.
According to coverage from the Okanagan Newspaper Group which employs Miller as managing editor of the Penticton Herald, he has been on administrative desk duties at the papers since his arrest.
