On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at approximately 9:10 p.m. uniform members of the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) assigned to 2 District (Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake) responded to a Niagara Falls address for a belated sexual assault call for service.
The initial investigation determined that a female youth was approached by an adult male while walking in the area of Geneva Street and North Service Road in St. Catharines. Due to the circumstances of the interaction the investigation was assigned to the NRPS Child Abuse Unit.
On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, detectives arrested Achraf GHALIL, a 27-year-old St. Catharines resident, and charged him with the following Criminal Code offences:
- Sexual Assault
- Sexual Interference with a Person Under 16 Years of Age
- Invitation to Sexual Touching Under 16 Years of Age
- Luring a Child to Commit Sexual Assault
GHALIL remains in custody and is scheduled to attend a bail hearing Wednesday, August 20, 2025, via video link to the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, located at 59 Church Street in St. Catharines.
This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 905-688-4111, dial option 3, extension 1008430.
Members of the community who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to people who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.
#25-61457
