The teen, now 19, was found guilty of eight counts of sexual assaults against
six different girls when he was 16 and 17 years old. Two other charges of
sexual assault against two more girls were dropped due to lack of evidence.
During the teen's sentencing hearing, Crown attorney Mary Ann Alexander asked
the judge to designate the teen as a repeat, serious violent offender, which
could give the judge the freedom to sentence as an adult.
"In my submission he is a sexual predator," Alexander said. "He chooses victims
who are young, vulnerable and naive ... he should be separated from females as
much as possible."
During his trial, spanning over several months, the court heard that the teen
sexually assaulted the girls in the hallways of the school, in a wooded area
behind the school, and once at his home. Witnesses said he victimized Grade 9
students because they were "still fresh."
'No remorse'
"These are violent offences," Alexander said. "I don't see anywhere where he
has shown any remorse."
The Crown has asked for the maximum sentence of three years in jail while
defence lawyer Gary Pickard has asked the judge to give the teen credit for
living under strict bail conditions since he was arrested in May 2005.
However, Ontario Court Justice Michael Harpur asked for a psychiatric report on
the teen.
"I feel a little under-informed," Harpur said. "I had hoped the issue of
whether or not (the teen) is a sexual predator would be addressed."
Harpur is scheduled to sentence the teen Aug. 22.
Outside court, the teen, who can not be identified under the Youth Criminal
Justice Act, yelled and cursed and shoved his middle finger from both hands in
the air in an angry gesture to a television reporter.
Three of his victims, who came to court for the sentencing, waited until he was
gone before they left court.
"I would be afraid if he was out in the streets," one girl said. "I had to move
to another school. I would be terrified if I ran into him again."
