ASSé

By Anna Marie D’Angelo News Reporter

A 23-year-old North Vancouver woman was allegedly sexually assaulted under the Lions Gate Bridge almost three years ago.

She thought the resting court ordeal would be over by now.

Bur 2 hung jury in B.C, Supreme Court earlier this month means that she wil! likely have to wait another vear and go through another nine-day trial.

“The thing has taken forever. How is the truth ever going to come out?” said the woman, whose identity cannot be revealed under ban of publication issued routinely to protect the identities of sex assault complainanis.

Aaron Reith, 24, formerly of West Vancouver, has been charged with sexually assaulting the woman.

The B.C. Supreme Court mal ended on Nov. 8 with a mistrial.

The iury could not agree on a verdict. Now a new jury must be selected some time next year and a new trial booked.

“First of all you are the victim, but you are left our of the courtroom the whole time because you are also a witness,” said the woman,

“And he is in there the whole time and he knows what's going on,” said the woman.

Second jury trial jooms for former W. Van man accused in alleged attack under bridge

She said the preliminary hearing seemed like a delaying, tactic to avoid having a speedy tnal.

She alleges that Reith violently sexually assaulted her under the Lions Gate Bridge on Dee. 5, 1993.

The woman said she received bruises as a result of the incident. She has sears on ber legs from running through brambles, alleged- ly trying to get away trom the accused man.

Reith pleaded nor guilty to the charge.

He denied the woman's allegations and maintains his inno- cence, said his lawyer John Richardson on Monday.

“He feels it should have been over,” said Richardson.

Richardson advised the News not to publish a story on the incident because it may influence the Crown's decision as to whether to have another trial.

Richardson said he asked the Crown to review its decision to proceed with another trial and there should not be any “adverse” publicity before the Crown’s decision is made.

“] think there is no reason to publicize this at this point,”

said Richardson.

Crown lawyer Dawn Boblin was unavailable for comment to press time Tuesday.

The complainanr said she met Reith for the first time on the night of the alleged sexital assault.

Reith was part of a group of men who had sat down with the woman and ber girlfriend at the Bistro in Tonsdale Quay.

The sonaan’s girlitiend knew one of the men in the group from West Vancouver secondary school days.

The women were at the nightclub celebrating the end of exams at Capilano College.

‘The complainant admitted she kissed Reith at the Bistro and she was drunk when she got into Reith’s car.

The woman said that she bas had to go over the details of the incident both at a preliminary bearing and at the trial.

She said the oial took a toll on her health causing her stress, anxiety and an inability to concentrate. She had to take vacation days to attend court on top of the three days she was called asa subpoenaed witness,

“Lhave to keep reliving these events when all I want to do is put it behind me,” she said.

The case is next scheduled to be heard Dec. 4in B.C. Supreme Court to select a new date for trial.

Reith attended West Vancouver secondary. He graduated in

Share of work on fast-ferry project source of dispute

From page 1

wecome members of Marine and Shipbuilders Local 506, a local of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

~ “Our members prefer to work for our organization, and we were promised jobs on the fast ferry when it started,” MacPherson said.

MacPherson added that’s as much as he would say because his union has gone to arbitration against Vancouver Shipyards, the lead contractor on the fast-ferry project.

He added, however, that his workers are suffering.

“They are being shut out of jobs 1 believe are rightfully theirs.”

Some fast-ferry work is being done at the Vancouver Drydock, but it’s being done by Local 506."Under a 1991 agreement, Local 1 and 506 split the jobs at the Vancouver Drydock on a 50-50 basis.

MacPherson’s union wants half the Vancouver Drydock work, but ‘Local 506 isn’t giving it up. Local 506 president Bob Eaton said he’d pre- fer not to comment on the turf war.

According to an article published in the Local 1 union’s newsletter, Vancouver Shipyards and Local 506 agreed to give Local 1 workers half the fast-ferry jobs at Vancouver Drydock.

But Vancouver Shipyards manager of industrial relations Ian Lewis said his company supports the position of Local 506. Lewis said Local 506 believes that fast-ferry work represents new construction for the company and is an extension of work being done at Vancouver Shipyards’ site at the foot of Pemberton Street. Lewis said Vancouver Drydock’s main function is large vessel repair and such repair is all the 50-50 deal covers.

Local 506 has 100% jurisdiction for the work of its trades at the Vancouver Shipyard’s Pemberton site. Local 1 workers must go through an aluminum welding course and sign on with Local 506 to get one of the $25.08-an-hour welding jobs. And that’s what MacPherson is recom- mending his members do.

“J don’t want to see them unemployed,” said MacPherson.

When asked about his union’s relationship with Local 506, MacPherson said, “I would say strained at best.”

“Workers are workers and they get along just fine. I think sometimes union leaders lose their direction a bit. That’s as far as I want to go into that,” he said.

Lewis cautioned that factors affecting the dispute have a long history and are complicated. But Local 1 does not have certification for aluminum ferry construction at Vancouver Shipyards.

MacPherson said his union has recommended an arbitrator, but that recommendation has been challenged.

B.C. Ferries plans to build three $70-million vessels for the Horseshoe Bay-to- Nanaimo route. Rut two of the high-tech boats have been put on hold as part of the provincial government’s capital spending freeze.

The B.C. government hopes worldwide demand for the ferries will keep fast-lerry construction going long after the three ferries for the local route are built.

See shivinard wage dispute page 5.

4 Bright Lights. IG IN BUSINESS... DB @ Collins. ee ee | @ Crossword.

@ North Shore Alert...................

North Shore Hews, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 111, Paragraph Ut of the Excue Tax Act, is published cach Wednesday. Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lid. and distributed to every dou on the North Shore. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Preduct ‘Agtcement No, 0UK7238. Mailing rates available on request.

@ Fashion......... ES 4

NEWS photo Mike Wakaficts

THE home of Emily Griffiths sold for $8 million recently after being on the market since January. Griffiths, the widow of former Canucks owner Frank Griffiths, originally asked $9.75 million.

Griffiths family’s seaside home sells for $8 million

i '

By fan Nobie News Reporter A man’s home is his castle.

For few people in Canada is that sentiment. more apt thanifor Wayne Nystrom.

The wealthy businessman is the new owner of 5635 Seaside Place, an $8-million West Vancouver property that is the most expensive home ever to be sold on this side of Burrard Inlet, said sales agent Brent Eilers.

“e's an incredibly unique piece of property,” he said of the Griffiths family's former home. “If you like the water, there's nothing like it.”

The half-acre property is 85% surrounded by the sea and incorporates everything from the merely mundane to the spectacular — even by tony West Vancouver sran- dards.

Eilers said the seven-year-old home is designed ty provide those inside with the feeling that they are ena yacht. Looking out the windows surrounding the house, it appears the water laps against the sides of the home.

On the 5,000-square-fout main floor sits the enter- taining area and master suite, said Eilers. “The suite encompasses a sitting area, solarium, bathroom and “humongous” walk-in closet,

Upstairs, which continues the yacht theme, tour bed- rooms and three bachrooms grace a 2,500-square-foot area. In addition to the 1,000-square-foor downstairs level, there is another garage underneath the centre of the home. It houses a 36-foot yacht.

Bilers said that a metal pate over the water rises at the

push of a button and the boat is driven into the garage and on to a carriage. Another button is pushed and the carriage and boat rise. Yachters disembark on the lower level of the home and catch the elevator to the upper lev- © els. The carriage allows the boater to easily rinse off the yacht and cuts down on maintenance. ;

“Plus,” said Eilers, “It’s kind of neat. If you like boat- ing and you're into toys, this is unbelievable.”

‘The toys don't stop there, The home has a “magnif- icent” swimming pool and hot rub on the point.

The patio doubles as a helicopter pad, which piqued the interest of the world’s richest man, the Sultan of Brunei. However, a couple of “technical things,” such as the fact thar West Vancouver Council would have been unlikely to approve the Sultan's frequent chopper rides, prevented a sale, said Eilers.

Other prominent people from the Middle East and the Orient also took a peek, said Eilers, who's been a top realtor for 13 years.

OF course, there is full electronic surveillance, a four- car parage, hardwood and marble radiant-heat floors, eight-foot doorways and a perimeter cicctric current (0 prevent seals, otters and raccoons from geting on the property. Tn addition, the home has a separate nanny's quarters “most peaple would kill to five in,” said Eilers,

“You name it, they've got it. I's a masterpiece from the poitt of view of incorporating comfortable living with taste and elegance,

“You see these big hulking 8,000-square-foot homes up on the British Properties where they just butcher all the trees and the house just sits there starkly,” said Eilers, who expects to share in a $200,000-plus commission from the sale of the Griffiths home. “This house is built right into the rock and in and around the rock so the natural terrain of the property is incorporated.”

The asking price was $9.75 million.

en NN