Ontario law society temporarily suspends lawyer after charges of sexual assault

TORONTO – A Toronto lawyer accused of sexually assaulting three teenage girls has had his licence temporarily suspended.

The Law Society Tribunal says Francois Lesieur won’t be allowed to practise law until he has a chance to respond to a motion brought forward Tuesday morning by the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Toronto police charged Lesieur with four counts of sexual assault in late September, alleging he assaulted the girls — aged 14, 15 and 16 — in public places such as subway stations and a food court.

Police allege the girls were targeted and say one girl was sexually assaulted twice in the span of five days by the same man.

They say images of the man that officers released through the media helped generate tips from the public and, along with surveillance video, allowed them to identify the suspect.

Lesieur’s lawyer says his client is presumed innocent.

“He looks forward to the opportunity to respond to the allegations at the law society and in court,” said Megan Savard.