CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A Stratford man who had sex with a girl who was younger than the age of consent was sentenced Friday to 90 days in jail.
Chase Colton Cormier, 21, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Charlottetown for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to sexual interference.
In sentencing Cormier, Orr accepted a joint recommendation but said she did so with a “great deal of reluctance".
As she reviewed the facts in the case, Orr said the police were investigating another matter when they learned Cormier, who was 21 at the time, had sex with a girl who was younger than 16.
Cormier knew the girl’s age at the time.
A pre-sentence report was prepared for the case, and Orr noted Cormier made comments in it that he wasn’t guilty of the offence.
On Friday, Cormier told the court he was not withdrawing his guilty plea.
Before sentencing Cormier, Orr referred to a victim impact statement she said showed the difficulties the victim has been dealing with, although not all were attributable to the accused.
Orr said the law is clear that anyone engaging in sexual activity has to make sure the other person is consenting and is old enough to consent.
She also said the pre-sentence report indicates Cormier has a number of issues he needs to address, including some related to his mental health.
Although judges have the final say on sentencing, they can only deviate from joint recommendations in rare circumstances.
In following the joint recommendation, Orr said it was at the absolute low end of what would be an acceptable sentence.
Cormier will serve the sentence on weekends and will be on probation for two years.
The probation included conditions that Cormier not have any contact with the victim and he must undergo any sexual deviancy assessment or counselling as directed.
He must also provide a DNA sample for the national databank and will be on the sex offender registry for 10 years.
A publication ban prevents the release of any details that could identify the victim.
