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An Edmonton man who police say may have lured more than 100 young girls on social media has been denied another shot at bail.
Imesh Ratnayake was in the Court of King’s Bench on Friday afternoon for a detention review hearing on 37 charges.
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Ratnayake had sought pretrial release on the charges, which was denied by Justice Grant Dunlop. Dunlop’s reasons for denying bail — as well as evidence and submissions from Crown and defence — are subject to a publication ban.
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Ratnayake was 21 when he was first arrested in July 2022 by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team’s internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit. He was accused of using Snapchat to lure six girls aged 11 to 13 from the Edmonton and Morinville areas.
He was initially charged with offences including sexual assault, making child pornography, distribution of intimate images and extortion.
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Ratnayake was released on bail but rearrested Dec. 9, 2022. At the time, police said they had “discovered thousands of videos and images that depict upwards of potentially 100 additional, unidentified victims of child luring and sexual assault.”
Ratnayake was charged with 18 additional offences, bringing the total to 37.
Among the charges was a count of failing to comply with a release order, which resulted in him being returned to custody.
Ratnayake’s case is next in court Nov. 1 for a pretrial conference. He is scheduled to start a seven-week trial in September 2024.
jwakefield@postmedia.com
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