Man charged with imprisoning and beating woman begins court hearing
Vancouver Island man stands accused of holding woman captive for 4 days
A preliminary hearing is underway in Duncan, B.C., for a man accused of holding a woman captive for four days on Vancouver Island.
Kehar Garry Sangha, 52, faces nine charges related to related to allegations a woman was violently held against her will on his rural property in North Cowichan last April.
RCMP said the victim was beaten badly with a bat for four days before she managed to escape to a neighbour's home.
Victim spotted by neighbour's contractor
Cowichan RCMP Cpl. Krista Hobday said it was fortunate that a contractor working on a nearby property saw the woman bloodied and severely swollen and quickly called 911.
"We certainly appreciate his efforts and we don't even want to speculate what would have happened had he not been where he was at the time," Hobday said outside court.
Sangha has been in custody since his arrest April 12 last year.
The preliminary hearing, which is expected to last until Friday, will determine whether evidence presented in court is sufficient for Sangha to stand trial.
With files from CHEK News.