Bahamas rape suspect is granted BAIL of $30K and allowed to return home to Canada after 'assaulting 80-year-old grandmother' with Alzheimer's at luxury resort

The Canadian tourist charged with abducting and sexually assaulting an 80-year-old grandmother with Alzheimer's at a luxurious Bahamas resort has been granted bail and will be allowed to return to his home country.

Gordon Wilkie, 61, of New Waterford, Nova Scotia, was granted bail of $30,000 this week after being charged with rape in the January 28 attack at the Warwick Hotel Paradise Island Bahamas.

'This is devastating,' the victim's son David Ahrens told DailyMail.com, saying the family received 'no notice or details' about a bail hearing before the ruling. 

Wilkie, a community college professor of renewable energy, is accused of separating the vulnerable victim from her daughter in an elevator and raping her in his hotel room.

Prosecutors had opposed bail for Wilkie, but Justice Franklyn Williams granted it on Monday after the suspect's attorney raised health concerns, saying his blood pressure was not being properly treated in jail.

Gordon Wilkie, 61, of New Waterford, Nova Scotia, was granted bail after being charged with rape in a shocking incident on January 28 at the Warwick Hotel Paradise Island Bahamas 

According to David Ahrens his 80-year-old mother (above) and sister were on a short vacation together in the Bahamas when the attack unfolded

Wilkie was eligible for release as early as Thursday, but as of Friday afternoon it did not appear that he had posted bail.

His attorney, Ryszard Humes, declined to comment when reached by DailyMail.com. 

Wilkie will be allowed to return to Canada while free on bail pending trial, a person close to the case told DailyMail.com.

However, he must return to the Bahamas to appear in court for the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment on May 29, and subsequent arraignment before the Supreme Court, the person said.

A source close to prosecutors said they had a difficult time proving that Wilkie was a flight risk, and that he had no prior convictions in the Bahamas, which weakened their argument that he should be denied bail.

Last week, DailyMail.com was the first to report that Wilkie is a faculty member at Novia Scotia Community College, where he specializes in renewable energy and has been placed on leave following his arrest.

Wilkie runs a solar-power installation company and was an instructor in renewable energy at NSCC's Dartmouth campus, according to a 2021 CBC News interview.

The victim in the Bahamas rape case is also Canadian, but her family has no connection to the accused assailant other than happening to stay in the same resort on their vacation.  

The victim's son Ahrens, who is publicly sharing his mother's photo but requested that her name be withheld, said the family is speaking out to demand 'full justice' for her, and warn others of the dangers to vulnerable family members.

According to Ahrens, his mother had travelled with his sister on a short vacation in the Bahamas when the attack unfolded.

Ahrens said his sister kept a close eye on their mother during the entire trip, but that the brazen abduction unfolded in a split second, when they became separated on an elevator.

The victim was traveling with her daughter when she was allegedly abducted and raped by another guest at the Warwick Hotel Paradise Island Bahamas (above) on January 28

Wilkie is a faculty member at Novia Scotia Community College, where he specializes in renewable energy and has been placed on leave following his arrest 

Wilkie runs a solar-power installation company and was an instructor in renewable energy at NSCC's Dartmouth campus

Ahrens said that on the last night of the trip, his sister and mother were at happy hour chatting with friends they had met at the resort.

The group included US Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Tom Justice, who was in the Bahamas on temporary duty assignment.

It was then that Wilkie, whom they had not met before, invited himself to join them, according to Ahrens.

'They thought it was strange, but you know, everyone's on vacation,' he said. 

Ahrens said that when the group of friends got up to get dinner, Wilkie also invited himself along, which they also found 'a little bit odd'.

After dinner, Ahrens said that Wilkie got on the same elevator as his sister and mother, who were headed to their shared room to get ready for bed. 

As the elevator reached their floor, the sister stepped off, but as she turned around to help her mother, the doors were already closing, he said.

He said that, according to his sister, the doors appeared to close more quickly than normal, but noted there was no camera in the elevator to show whether the 'close door' button had been pressed.

'Then panic ensues,' he said. 'They were looking for my mother and pleading with the front desk and security for help, which they didn't do for more than half an hour.' 

The Warwick Paradise Islands Bahamas did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com. 

Agent Justice and other guests immediately joined the search, walking the halls of the hotel for roughly 40 minutes and shouting the victim's name. 

Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Tom Justice (above), who happened to be staying at the same hotel, has emerged as a hero in the case

Canadian realtor David Ahrens is speaking out to reveal his 80-year-old mother (with him above) was abducted and raped at the Warwick resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas

When Bahamian police finally arrived, Justice got a group text message from the resort friends taking part in the search, and headed down to the hotel lobby to meet with the cops.

'He presses down on whatever floor he was on, and the elevator arrives and the doors open, and there's my mother with the assailant,' said Ahrens.

'He saw him, and immediately at the same time he could see my mother holding her underwear. So he reacted right away, and he just went in the elevator and pinned him,' he added.

Wilkie was arrested by Bahamian authorities and charged with raping the vulnerable woman in his hotel room. 

A hospital evaluation confirmed that the 80-year-old woman had been sexually assaulted, and Ahrens said that despite her memory condition she was able to provide a detailed statement.

'She gave a statement that evening of the incident and was very, very detailed,' he said.

Although Ahrens was not on the trip with his mother, he immediately flew down upon learning of the assault, and listened in horror as a police sergeant read to him the statement his mother had given in the hospital. 

'It's shockingly detailed, and it's so very disturbing. It's just awful. Nobody should hear anything like that ever. Period.'

Ahrens says his sister and other guests at the Warwick immediately launched a search, but claims that hotel staff were unresponsive to their pleas for help

The Homeland Security Investigations field office in Charlotte issued a statement confirming the incident and praising Agent Justice.

'HSI management is aware of the actions SA Justice undertook while on temporary duty and are proud of the way he went above and beyond to protect the welfare of others,' the statement said. 

'His actions are in keeping with the highest standards of this agency.'

Arhen has has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical and legal expenses for his mother. He says the family plans to attend the trial, though not his mother, for fear the courtroom would be overwhelming for her.

'Ultimately, we have a long road ahead of us in terms of seeking justice for my mother,' he told DailyMail.com on Friday. 

'It's beyond disappointing that any legal system would allow a predator out on the streets to roam freely. Citizens beware.'