Edmonton man pleads guilty to sexual interference against 2 girls while babysitting

An Edmonton man pleaded guilty Thursday to touching two girls for a sexual purpose while he was babysitting them in his home.

The man, who cannot be identified in orderto protect the identity of hisvictims, entered his plea on the second day of his jury trial in Edmonton's Court of Queen's Bench.

The manoriginally faced eight sex-relatedcharges involving the sisters, including sexual assault and invitation to sexual touching, but the remaining charges were withdrawn by the Crown prosecutor.

He also pleaded guilty to threecounts of assault with a weapon for using a belt onthe girls, their brother, and his own son.

The offences occurredbetween September2013 and October2016.

Court heard Thursday that police became involved after receiving a complaint from the girls' mother on Oct. 22, 2016.

She reported that her daughters, who were seven and eight years old at the time, had been sexually assaulted by the accused.

Alberta's Children's Services removedthe accused'sson who lived with him at the time.

A social worker testified that Children's Services was concerned over the man's use of a belt to spank the child.

The manhas yet to be sentenced.