TORONTO—Joshua Boyle, the Canadian man who was held hostage with his American wife and family for five years in Afghanistan and Pakistan before being rescued in October, has been arrested in Canada and is facing criminal charges that include assault, unlawful confinement and several other offenses.

Mr. Boyle has been charged with eight counts of assault, two counts of sexual assault and two counts of unlawful confinement, as well as single counts of misleading police, uttering a death threat, and causing a person to take a... </s> Former Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle was charged Monday in Canada with 15 criminal offenses including multiple allegations of assault since he arrived home with his American wife and three children in October following five years of captivity in Pakistan.

Boyle, 34, appeared in a hearing in Ottawa's criminal court on New Year's Day, court records show. He was denied immediate release and his next hearing will be Wednesday, according to a family member.

Boyle’s American wife, Caitlan Coleman Boyle, said in a statement, "I can’t speak about the specific charges, but I can say that ultimately it is the strain and trauma he was forced to endure for so many years and the effects that that had on his mental state that is most culpable for this.

“Obviously, he is responsible for his own actions,” she wrote in the statement, “but it is with compassion and forgiveness that I say I hope help and healing can be found for him. As to the rest of us, myself and the children, we are healthy and holding up as well as we can.”

The 15 charges filed Monday by the Ottawa Police Service include multiple allegations of assault, including physical and sexual assault of a woman, physical assault of a child and unlawful confinement, between October and December and misleading police over the weekend "to divert suspicion from himself."

The Canadian court issued an order prohibiting the publication of information that identifies the alleged victims in Canada. As a general policy, ABC News does not name victims in cases of alleged sexual assault.

Joshua Boyle's defense lawyer, Eric Granger, in a statement to ABC News said his client "is presumed innocent."

"He's never been in trouble before. No evidence has been provided yet, which is typical at this early stage. We look forward to receiving the evidence and defending him against these charges," Granger added.

The longtime Canadian anti-war activist raised in Perth-Andover and his wife of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, disappeared hiking through eastern Afghanistan in 2012 and were held by the Taliban's Haqqani Network for five years until their sudden release in October, just as American commandos were staging a rescue operation. The circumstances of their release remain unclear.

Caitlan Coleman Boyle, who was six months pregnant at the time of their capture more than five years ago, would give birth to three children in captivity. In an interview with ABC News in November, she said she and her family endured brutal treatment at the hands of their captors, including what the couple alleged was a "forced abortion" and rape by their Haqqani guards.

The newly freed family arrived in Toronto on Oct. 13. The initially stayed with Joshua Boyle's parents in Smiths Falls, Ontario, but they soon moved into a hotel in Ottawa. Recently the Boyles moved into a rented apartment and told ABC News they were eager to make it a home.

Just before Christmas, Joshua Boyle tweeted photos of his family meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Last week, after President Donald Trump listed freeing the hostages as an accomplishment, Joshua Boyle finally offered his appreciation to the American leader, tweeting, "Thank you Mr. President."

Joshua Boyle was known in Canada for his activism even before becoming a hostage of the Haqqani Network. He was previously married to one of Canada's most outspoken pro-jihadi women, Zaynab Khadr, whose two brothers were imprisoned at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, but were later released.

U.S. intelligence officials long expressed doubts to ABC News about Joshua Boyle's motives in traveling to Afghanistan in 2012. Joshua Boyle told ABC News last month that those doubts were unfounded and referred to his Haqqani captors as "criminal miscreants."

American officials put aside their skepticism of Joshua Boyle in offering the family assistance in leaving Pakistan and since they settled in Ottawa, including offers of psychological counseling to adjust from captivity, they have told ABC News. </s> The man who was held hostage in Afghanistan with his family has been arrested on charges of sexual assault and more just three months after being freed.

Joshua Boyle was arrested in Ottawa and is now facing 15 charges, all stemming from incidents that allegedly occurred in the three months since he was freed from captivity in October. The specifics behind the incidents are not clear, but Joshua has been charged with eight counts of assault, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of unlawful confinement, one count of uttering death threats, one count of causing someone to take a noxious substance and one count of misleading police, according to various Canadian outlets who have allegedly seen the court docs. Joshua’s lawyer confirmed to CNN that these reported charges are accurate.

In 2012, Joshua and his American wife, Caitlan Coleman, who was pregnant with their first child at the time, were traveling through Afghanistan when they were taken into captivity by the Taliban. They were held hostage for five years, and during that time, had three children. In October, the family of five was released following a secret exchange set up by Pakistani officials. After the family’s return home, Joshua shared harrowing details of their imprisonment, including how members of the Taliban allegedly raped his wife and killed his newborn child.

“Mr. Boyle is a young man who we all know has been through a lot,” Joshua’s lawyer told The Toronto Star. “He has never been in trouble with the law. We look forward to receiving that evidence and defending him against these charges.” He is expected to appear in court on Jan. 3.

“I can’t speak about the specific charges, but I can say that ultimately it is the strain and trauma he was forced to endure for so many years and the effects that that had on his mental state that is most culpable for this,” Caitlan said. “Obviously, he is responsible for his own actions, but it is with compassion and forgiveness that I say I hope help and healing can be found for him As to the rest of us, myself and the children, we are healthy and holding up as well as e can.”

HollywoodLifers, are you shocked by Joshua’s arrest? </s> A Canadian former hostage of a Taliban-linked group, charged with sexual assault after returning home from years in captivity in Afghanistan, will be released from a Canadian jail with strict bail conditions.

An Ontario court judge ordered Joshua Boyle to live with his parents in Smith Falls, near Ottawa, and undergo electronic monitoring.

He was arrested on 31 December only two months after his return to Canada and faces 19 charges, including sexual assault, misleading police and making death threats.

The Ontario Court has banned the identification of Boyle’s alleged victims. According to court documents, the alleged crimes occurred between 14 October – the day Boyle and his family returned to Canada – and 30 December, 2017.

In a previous statement, his American wife Caitlan Coleman blamed Boyle’s actions on his mental state, resulting from “the strain and trauma he was forced to endure for so many years.”

She said it was “with compassion and forgiveness that I … hope help and healing can be found for him.”

Boyle and Coleman, who married in 2011, were kidnapped by the Taliban during what they described as a backpacking trip through Afghanistan in 2012.

They were later transferred to the custody of the Haqqani faction of the Taliban.

The couple were freed last year, along with their three children aged between six months and five years - all of whom were born in captivity.

A trial date has not been set. </s> Canadian man Joshua Boyle, who along with his wife was kidnapped and held captive in the Middle East for five years, is charged with a number of offences including sexual assault and forcible confinement only months after returning home.

A Canadian man abducted and held captive by a terrorist group in the Middle East for five years has been charged with sexual assault only months after being freed and returning home.

Joshua Boyle and his American wife Caitlan Coleman were kidnapped by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network in Afghanistan in 2012 while on a backpacking trip. Their children were born in captivity.

The couple and their children arrived back in Canada after being rescued in Pakistan in October last year.

At the time he said one of his children had been murdered and his spouse was raped after their capture.

Canadian police have laid 15 charges against Mr Boyle, 34, including eight counts of assault, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of forcible confinement and one count of uttering death threats.

A hearing on the case is scheduled for Wednesday (local time) in Ottawa, but Mr Boyle's lawyer Eric Granger said in an email that his client would not attend in person.

"Mr Boyle is presumed innocent," he said.

"He's never been in trouble before. No evidence has been provided yet, which is typical at this early stage.

"We look forward to receiving the evidence and defending him against these charges."

A publication ban bars reporting any information that could identify the alleged victims or witnesses in the case. </s> Former hostage Joshua Boyle will be released from a Canadian jail with strict bail conditions that include an electronic tracking bracelet, a judge ruled Friday.

Boyle faces a string of charges, including sexual assault, following his release from captivity in Afghanistan last year. The alleged crimes occurred between Oct. 14 and Dec. 30 after he and his American wife, Caitlan Coleman of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, returned to Canada. A publication ban bars reporting information that could identify the alleged victims.

Ontario Court Justice Robert Wadden issued the bail decision. Under the release conditions, Boyle will live with his parents, Patrick and Linda Boyle in Smiths Falls, Ontario. He must wear a GPS ankle bracelet that can track his movements.

Boyle and his wife were taken hostage in 2012 by a Taliban-linked group while on a backpacking trip in Afghanistan. The couple had three children during their five years in captivity. The family was rescued by Pakistani forces last October.

Boyle was arrested by Ottawa police in December and charged with offences including assault, sexual assault, unlawful confinement and causing someone to take a noxious substance.

Boyle, his wife and children had been living in an Ottawa apartment when he was arrested. </s> Canadian, 34, who was rescued with wife and children after nearly five years, is also charged with forcible confinement and making death threatsJoshua Boyle, the Canadian man held hostage by Taliban-linked militants for nearly five years, has been arrested in Ottawa and is facing more than a dozen charges including sexual assault, forcible confinement and uttering death threats.Boyle was rescued in late 2017 in Pakistan , along with his American wife, Caitlan Coleman, and their three young children, all of whom were born in captivity. The couple had been abducted while travelling through a mountainous region of Afghanistan. Coleman was more than six months pregnant at the time.Shortly after landing in Canada, Boyle, 34, told reporters that his wife had been raped and one of their children was killed. The allegations were later denied by the Taliban.This week police in Ottawa laid 15 charges against Boyle, including eight counts of assault, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of unlawful confinement and one count of uttering death threats.Boyle was also charged with one count of forcing an individual to ingest a noxious substance, described as an anti-depressant, and one count of misleading police, according to court documents cited by the Toronto Star. None of the allegations have been proven in court.The incidents are alleged to have taken place in recent months, following the family’s return to Canada . A publication ban prevents the alleged victims from being identified. </s> Former Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle, who is facing criminal charges in Canada related to incidents after his release from captivity, was granted bail by an Ontario court on Friday, local media reported.

OTTAWA: Former Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle, who is facing criminal charges in Canada related to incidents after his release from captivity, was granted bail by an Ontario court on Friday, local media reported.

Boyle, 34, was arrested by Canadian police in December 2017, two months after he was freed, along with his American wife and their three children, and returned to Canada.

The specifics of the accusations against Boyle have not been made public, though he faces 19 charges including assault, sexual assault, forcible confinement and uttering death threats.

The court has imposed a publication ban that prevents media from reporting on the bail proceedings or information that could identify any victims or witnesses.

Boyle and his wife, Caitlan Coleman, were kidnapped in October 2012 while backpacking in Afghanistan. They spent five years in captivity, during which their three children were born.

Boyle said a fourth child had been murdered and his spouse raped after their capture by the Taliban-allied Haqqani network. The Taliban denied the accusations of rape and murder.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) reported from the Ottawa court on Friday that Boyle would be released on several conditions including that he stayed in his parents' home under house arrest and was monitored by GPS ankle bracelet. He must also surrender his passport, the CBC reported. </s> OTTAWA — A bail hearing is underway for former Afghanistan hostage Joshua Boyle, who faces several assault charges.

The Ontario court proceedings — expected to last at least a full day — are subject to a publication ban.

Boyle was arrested by Ottawa police in December and charged with various offences including assault, sexual assault, unlawful confinement and causing someone to take a noxious substance.

The charges against Boyle relate to two alleged victims, but a court order prohibits the publication of any details that might identify them or any witnesses.

Boyle and his American wife, Caitlan Coleman, were taken hostage in 2012 by a Taliban-linked group while on a backpacking trip in Afghanistan.

The couple, along with the three children they had during their five years in captivity, were freed by Pakistani forces last October. None of the charges, which relate to incidents that allegedly occurred between Oct. 14 and Dec. 30 — after Boyle returned to Canada — have been tested in court.

The family had been living in an Ottawa apartment for about a month when Boyle was arrested.

Lawrence Greenspon, a lawyer for Boyle, told the court in January that an initial evaluation found his client fit to stand trial, but added that he would benefit from a fuller assessment at a mental health centre in Brockville, Ont.

The psychiatric evaluation was completed earlier this spring.
Joshua Boyle, a Canadian man recently rescued from a Taliban linked group, is arrested on 15 charges, including assault, sexual assault, and unlawful confinement.