Chretien's son charged with sexual assault

A son of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has been charged with sexually assaulting an 18-year-old girl, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

Michel Charles Chretien, aged 33, was arrested and charged with one count of sexually assault on Friday after a woman complained to police that her daughter had been sexually assaulted at an apartment after a night of heavy drinking, the RCMP said.

Michel Chretien, who lives in Yellowknife, appeared before a Northwest Territories Justice of the Peace and was released under terms that were not released, the RCMP said.

Chretien, whom the prime minister and his wife Aline adopted as a small child from an orphanage of the Inuvik native tribe in the 1970s, was convicted 10 years ago for sexual assault and in 1998 for assaulting a six-year-old boy.

He admitted to a problem with cocaine, alcohol and marijuana during a parole hearing.

In a statement, the prime minister said he and his wife were saddened by their son’s arrest and said it may indicate a recurrence of "long-standing troubles with substance abuse".

"As any parents who love their children, we have suffered when our son has suffered and have been deeply concerned by any harm that may have come to others as a result of his conduct.

"We have been heartened at the progress he has been making and are deeply discouraged by his apparent relapse.

"We have offered all of our care and support to him in good times and bad, and we will continue to stand with him."

In 1992, Michel Chretien was sentenced to three years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman he met in a Montreal bar.

He said she agreed to have sex with him but she said he took her home, cut off her clothes, tied her up and forced her to have sex.

He began serving his prison term in 1995 after a failed appeal.

At a later parole board hearing, he apologised for his actions, calling them selfish and admitting to a problem with substance abuse.

In February 1998 he received a nine-month suspended sentence for assaulting his former girlfriend’s six-year-old son.

He was also ordered to perform 60 hours of community service and continue psychiatric counselling.

Jean Chretien, who has two other children with his wife, attended court proceedings during Michel’s 1992 trial and regularly visited his son in prison.

The Chretiens have largely avoided discussing Michel’s legal troubles in public.