Man, 53, accused of lurking around student residence near McMaster University
Posted November 4, 2025 2:39 pm.
A 53-year-old man who is accused of lurking around a student housing complex near McMaster University in Hamilton has been arrested and charged with trespassing, police say.
According to investigators, a woman called 911 after she spotted a suspicious man in her backyard at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Nov. 3.
The woman, who lives at an off-campus home in the Westdale area, told police that she watched as the unknown man disabled a light fixture in her backyard, before fleeing the area.
Officers were able to locate the suspect in the yard of a nearby residence moments later.
“The suspect initially provided police with a false name and was taken into custody for further investigation,” authorities said in a press release issued on Tuesday. “Through investigation, police determined the individual’s true identity to be George Braid, a 53-year-old male of no fixed address.”
Police say Braid has a history of similar offences.
He was held for a bail hearing and charged with obstructing a police officer, trespassing, three counts of criminal harassment and failing to comply with a release order.
