LONDON, Ont. — A military officer based in London is facing nine charges after at least two women trying to join the Canadian Forces say they were sexually assaulted at a recruiting centre.

James Wilks, a petty officer second class, faces two criminal counts of sexual assault and seven military charges, including behaving in a disgraceful manner and negligence in the performance of his duties.

The allegations are that Wilks — a military medical technician who’s been with the Forces for 25 years — sexually assaulted new recruits between Sept. 2008 and Dec. 2009 while performing physical examinations.

“The alleged incidents happened while he was performing medical examinations,” said Maj. Paule Poulin, a spokesperson for the country’s military police. “The alleged victims were female, and there were more than one, and ... they were being recruited into the Canadian Armed Forces."

“Every recruit needs to be declared fit before they can come into the Canadian Forces, so that was his job at the recruiting centre.”

Poulin said she didn’t know the age of the two females, or whether they did ultimately succeed in joining the military.

She declined to provide further details about the allegations.

The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service has been investigating the accusations since they “came to the chain of command knowledge,” last December, Poulin said.

Wilks has been doing administrative duties since that time, “so he can’t have direct contact with patients,” she said.

Military police laid the charges Thursday, and will refer the case to the director of military prosecutions, said Poulin. A court date will be scheduled and posted on the Ministry of National Defence Judge Advocate General website.

Typically, military police handle cases that involve offences alleged to have occurred on Department of National Defence grounds, she said.

“The Canadian forces takes this very seriously, and the military police conduct investigations every time there are allegations and, if appropriate, lay charges,” she said.

Anyone with information about the case can call the military police at 1-866-698-1119.

“At this time, these are all the charges that have been laid, but if any new information comes to light, the allegations will be investigated and, if appropriate, more charges will be laid,” Poulin said.

Jennifer.obrien@sunmedia.ca

bryn.weese@sunmedia.ca