Sentencing for sexual interference following a guilty plea by a youthful first offender who engaged in repeated sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old over approximately six and a half months.
The court treated denunciation and general deterrence as primary, applying the Supreme Court's guidance on child sexual abuse sentencing while also giving substantial weight to remorse, guilty plea, lack of record, strong rehabilitation prospects, and youthfulness.
Although the case involved profound harm to the complainant and repeated exploitative conduct, the court concluded that a 15-month custodial sentence, rather than a penitentiary term or conditional sentence, was proportionate.
A conditional sentence was rejected as insufficient to meet denunciation and deterrence in the circumstances.
