Sentencing for sexual interference involving online communications with a 13-year-old child, explicit image exchanges, deception about age, and sexual touching while the child was asleep at a sleepover.
The court held that denunciation and deterrence remained the primary objectives under ss. 718.01 and 718.2 of the Criminal Code and that a conditional sentence would only rarely be appropriate for sexual offences against children absent exceptional circumstances.
Although the offender was a youthful first offender with strong rehabilitation prospects, counselling, family support, and significant collateral consequences to his family, those factors did not justify a community sentence.
A custodial sentence of 18 months followed by two years' probation was imposed, together with DNA, no-contact, SOIRA, and s. 161 orders.
