EDITOR;
Being a member of this community, I recently attended a trial where the accused had pleaded guilty to a charge of voyeurism.
This charge had been laid by a local teenager and her mother.
Throughout the proceedings, the prosecutor outlined to the court the incident that occurred and further requested the victim’s impact statements be a matter of record for the proceedings. The judge left chambers and reviewed the victim’s impact statement and upon return, duly noted they would be part of the court’s records.
The lawyer for the accused, presented on behalf of his client, he had in letter form provided an apology to the court, was a pillar of the community, had given countless hours to the community, was a spiritual person and provided many character witnesses on his behalf.
Also, in the protestation was the fact his client’s reputation had suffered quite considerable, and he had actually received many threats, which caused undue suffering for his family.
Now, I am starting to think the tables have been turned, and somehow the accused is being shown as a victim as well, albeit a victim of his own circumstances. I would have thought an adult would definitely know that with every action, there is a reaction. Any decisions we make in life, whether good or bad, carry consequences.
In the judge’s summary, he noted had this incident occurred in a larger centre, it would not carry the stigma that it does in a smaller community — this is very true.
In sentencing, the judge noted this charge is a serious charge, that on the high end of the judicial scale it can carry a prison term or on the lower end a form of probation.
Having taken all into consideration, the accused was provided a conditional discharge for the charge of voyeurism (no criminal record if the terms of his probation are followed through on, although voyeurism is part of the Criminal Code of Canada).
The family is under duress and has suffered since the incident, which has not been easy, nor will it disappear any time soon. This girl will not forget this and it will likely follow her for the rest of her life.
The decision of the court in this matter does not send a very good message to the young people in our society. Who can they turn to, if not the people that have been appointed to uphold the law?
We encourage them to tell the truth and that the law is their friend and will assist them in times of need — this doesn’t appear to be the case.
The Internet is full of these types of offences, and they seem to be occurring on a more frequent basis with similar verdicts. This leads me to believe this type of crime is escalating, and possibly some future cases will set a precedent for a more suitable penalty.
CATHY KARRAS
Taber