Trial begins for B.C. Mountie accused of sexually assaulting civilian employee

The Crown attorney in the sexual assault trial of a retired RCMP inspector says the officer assaulted a woman inside a locked washroom at police headquarters in British Columbia.

Michelle Booker told the provincial court trial Wednesday that the woman, who can't be named, will also testify that while she worked with Tim Shields she was sexually harassed and her requests for it to stop were ignored.

At the time of the alleged incidents, Shields was in charge of strategic communications and was the public face of the Mounties in the province.

Booker says the woman, who was a civilian employee, will testify that Shields sexually assaulted her in the fall of 2009 at E Division headquarters in Vancouver.

Shields arrived in court flanked by two lawyers, and did not respond to a request for comment.

RCMP Sgt. Jeff Wong was the first witness to testify, describing photos he was asked to take of the Mounties' former headquarters in May 2015 to assist with an internal investigation.

Wong says he was told only that the photos were for a "sensitive situation" involving professional standards.

Shields entered a plea of not guilty to the sexual assault charge.

With files from Farrah Merali.