A 39-year-old man has been charged in connection with a sexual assault that occurred in St. Catharines early Sunday morning.

Police said a female victim was picked up in an illegal taxi around 12:45 a.m. and taken to a parking lot in the area of Bunting Rd. and Welland Ave., where the alleged assault occurred.

Police identified a suspect and arrested 39-year-old Mahmoud Al Arag of St. Catharines, who is charged with the alleged offence of sexual assault.

Al Arag was held in custody pending a bail hearing on Monday at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse in St. Catharines.