Former B.C. footballer charged with sex assault

A former B.C. Lions football player has been charged with sexual assault after an incident witnessed by police officers in Vancouver on Monday.

Policereported seeing a man fondling a woman and tried to arrest him. He ran away but was taken down after a violent struggle, police said.

Joshua Joseph Boden, 23, of Surrey, is charged with sexual assault, wilfully arresting or obstructing a peace officer and assaulting a police officer. Boden will remainin custody until his next court appearance Sept. 16, said Vancouver Const. Lindsey Houghton.

Boden was with the Lions as a wide receiver in the 2006-07 CFL season and played one game with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last year.

Last year in Vancouver, Boden was charged with assault, theft and mischief but the charges were later dismissed.

"Everyone would agree it's an unfortunate situation," Jamie Cartmell, the B.C. Lions director of communications, said in an interview Thursday.