Oxford County Council is following suit of City of Woodstock Council in placing Mayor and County Councilor Trevor Birtch on a paid leave of absence.
On Tuesday, London Police Service announced that Birtch has been charged with three counts of sexual assault. Police say the alleged victim was known to Birtch.
Sources confirmed to CTV News that Woodstock council was made aware of the new charges on April 17 and voted to put him on a paid leave of absence.
The same motion was passed at the county level with the addition that Birtch must provided a request for a leave of absence from the county, and pending the receipt of that written request, it will be granted.
These new charges come weeks after London police laid three other charges against Birtch in February for alleged incidents from last year.
Police say the new charges are in relation to a different alleged victim.
Birtch is scheduled to appear in court Monday May 2, 2022 on the initial charges, and again on July 4 for the new charges.
— With files from CTV News London’s Reta Ismail