SURREY, B.C. -- Saskatchewan Roughriders linebacker Trevis Smith, glum and stone-faced during a court appearance, was freed on $10,000 bail yesterday on a charge of aggravated sexual assault.

Judge H. M. Thomas told Smith he must keep the peace, not attend nightclubs or bars, maintain a Regina residence, obey a curfew of 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., and have no contact or visits with any complainants.

He is to use reasonable precautions and practise safe sex, tell all future partners that he is HIV-positive, have no involvement in the sex trade, use condoms and surrender his passport if he has one.

Smith is charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault. The Crown alleged the offence took place between Nov. 2003 and May 2005 in Surrey or Richmond, B.C.

Smith, who did not speak during his appearance, sat in the prisoner's box. He stared straight ahead and didn't glance out into the public gallery, which was crowded with sports and news reporters.

Paul Harasen, Smith's Regina lawyer, told a crowd of reporters outside court that his client is "doing quite well. He's a very strong, intelligent person."

"My first reaction was I felt a sense of sympathy for the victims, not only the young ladies, but Trevis and his family also," said Shivers. "Trevis is a victim too. Somebody had to give it (HIV) to him."

"I don't know in your job if your boss follows you at home at night and tries to find out who you are sleeping with or something like that, that is not our job and it is being portrayed in the public and in the media that we've got a bunch of gangsters running around here and that is far from the truth."

"We don't have any crackhead quarterbacks around here. We don't have any drug dealers around here. We've never used the racial card in situations around here.

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