Owen Ross Gibson-Skeir, charged with human trafficking, returns to court

The case involving a 20-year-old East Preston man charged with human trafficking and other crimes returned to court this morning.

Owen Ross Gibson-Skeir was arrested last month in relation to allegations involving a 14-year-old girl. He's been in custody for the past four weeks.

Gibson-Skeir opted to remain in cells in the basement of the courthouse on Spring Garden Road while his lawyer, Lyle Howe, spoke on his behalf.

Howe told the court Gibson-Skeir was in the process of hiring him, but that it wasn't yet finalized.

"Well either you're here or you're not here," Judge Bill Digby told Howe. "You can't be half here. It's like being pregnant."

Howe agreed to represent Gibson-Skeir for today's appearance.

The matter will return to court next month, at which time Howe says he should be Gibson-Skeir's lawyer. In the meantime, Gibson-Skeir is under orders to stay away from the 14-year-old girl and another woman.

Both names are banned from publication.

He faces the following charges:

• Procuring a person under the age of 18
• Trafficking a person under the age of 18
• Sexual assault
• Invitation to sexual touching
• Sexual interference
• Assault
• Uttering threats
• Advertising sexual services
• Material benefit from trafficking a person under the age of 18
• Material benefit from sexual services
• Breach of probation