The Thamesford man accused of arson in last week's car fire downtown is now facing charges of sexual assault against a woman in the sex trade.
William McDonald is charged with sexual assault and attempting to choke a person to overcome resistance.
The charges stem from an incident at a London motel on January 16, one day before McDonald was arrested by police for an unrelated car fire on Dundas St., near Wellington St.
According to police, two men were in the vehicle when one allegedly set it on fire. The flames spread to the men's clothing before they were able to escape. Both were taken to hospital in critical condition. The day after the blaze, McDonald was charged with arson causing bodily harm, aggravated assault, and breach of a recognizance.
Police have "reached out to community agencies who work with women involved in the sex trade to distribute this information," said a news release issued Thursday.
The move to notify agencies that work with women in the sex trade about these type of attacks began after Josie Glenn, a 26-year-old body rub parlour employee, was murdered last October. Police came under fire for not issuing a warning about the man accused in her death, who had previously been charged with assaulting a woman and sexual assaulting, choking, and forcibly confining another woman in two separate incidents.
McDonald has been in police custody since his arrest on January 17.
