P.E.I. man sentenced to 7 years for sexually assaulting young girls
CBC
Warning: This story contains disturbing details.
A Kings County man was sentenced to seven years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to sex offences involving three children — two of them his young relatives.
There is a publication ban protecting the identity of the victims, so CBC News is not naming the 57-year-old offender.
The victims, now teenagers and accompanied by their families, broke down in tears at times during the sentencing in P.E.I. Supreme Court.
One of the victims was the offender's granddaughter, another was his step-granddaughter, and the third was one of their friends.
According to the agreed statement of facts presented in court, he sexually assaulted the three girls on several occasions over the course of several years in the Three Rivers area, often without using protection. The assaults happened inside his home, in his car, and at other locations.
His youngest victim, his granddaughter, was just five when this started.
The crimes continued until last fall, when the victims told their parents, who went to RCMP.
The man was arrested, and has been in jail ever since.
He pleaded guilty to one count of incest and two counts of sexual interference. Twelve other charges were stayed.
After the plea, one of his victims gave an impact statement to the court, choking back tears as she described how much he hurt her.
"He made me hate myself and my body. He made me feel vulnerable and useless," she said.
"He ruined innocent lives and so many childhood experiences that should be happy and joyful. All I see is pain and suffering."
Judge Jonathan Coady accepted the Crown and defence joint recommendation of a seven-year prison sentence, minus time served.
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