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Joshua Boyle, ex-hostage in Afghanistan and husband of York County woman, faces several charges in Canada

OTTAWA — A Canadian man who was freed last year after spending five years in captivity with his York County-native wife and their children in Afghanistan ...
Joshua Boyle_Caitlan Coleman

OTTAWA — A Canadian man who was freed last year after spending five years in captivity with his York County-native wife and their children in Afghanistan is facing 15 charges in Ottawa, including sexual assault, forcible confinement and uttering threats, according to CBC Ottawa.

Joshua Boyle, his wife, Caitlan Coleman, and their three children were rescued last October, five years after the couple was abducted on a backpacking trip in Afghanistan. Their children were all born in captivity. Coleman’s parents live in Stewartstown, York County.

According to CBC Ottawa, court records show Boyle is facing 15 charges.  He made a court appearance at the Ottawa courthouse on New Year’s Day. Boyle is reportedly still in custody and is scheduled to appear in court again Wednesday morning, CBC Ottawa reports.

The records allege the offenses happened in Ottawa between Oct. 14 and Dec. 30, CBC Ottawa says.

Boyle’s defense attorney, Eric Granger, wrote in an email to CBC that he was limited in what he can say about the case as it’s now before the court.

“Mr. Boyle is presumed innocent,” his attorney, Eric Granger, told CBC in an email. “He’s never been in trouble before. No evidence has been provided yet, which is typical at this early stage.

“We look forward to receiving the evidence and defending him against these charges.”

According to FOX News the charges include, 8 counts of assault, 2 counts of sexual assault, 2 counts of unlawful confinement and single counts of uttering death threats and misleading police, plus one count of “causing someone to ‘take a noxious thing, namely Trazodone”.

In a statement to the Toronto Star, Caitlan wrote, “I can’t speak about the specific charges, but I can say that ultimately it is the strain and trauma he was forced to endure for so many years and the effects that that had on his mental state that is most culpable for this… it is with compassion and forgiveness that I say I hope help and healing can be found for him. ”

Upon his return to Canada he settled into his parents’ home in Smiths Falls, Ont., CBC reports.

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