A. Morrow

The offender was sentenced after pleading guilty to sexual interference against a minor child contrary to section 151 of the Criminal Code.

The court treated denunciation and deterrence as paramount, while also considering rehabilitation and restraint in light of significant mental health history, remorse, and very low assessed risk of sexual reoffending.

Aggravating factors included repeated abuse over several months, gross breach of parental trust, the child’s vulnerability, and severe family harm.

The defence sought a reformatory term of two years less a day with probation, while the Crown sought four years.

The court imposed a penitentiary sentence of 42 months with consent ancillary orders.

The Crown applied under s. 752.1(1) of the Criminal Code for an order remanding the offender for a psychiatric assessment to determine whether a dangerous offender or long‑term offender application should proceed.

The offender had been convicted by a jury of two counts of attempted murder with a firearm and two counts of discharging a firearm with intent.

The court reviewed the offender’s extensive criminal record, including numerous firearm, drug trafficking, and breach offences, and considered the low threshold for ordering an assessment.

Finding reasonable grounds to believe the offender might be designated a dangerous offender due to a pattern of repetitive and aggressive behaviour involving firearms and drug trafficking, the court ordered the assessment.