A man convicted this summer of sexually assaulting his daughters was taken into custody on Monday in order to speed up the process for a psychiatric assessment.
The 60-year-old Central Alberta man, who can’t be named because of a court imposed publication ban on the names of the four victims, returns to Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench on Dec. 13 for sentencing.
The man was convicted at trial on June 18 but sentencing was adjourned to allow for a pre-sentence report.
However, the report, prepared by a probation officer, recommended the accused should have an assessment to determine if there’s a possibility of him repeating the offence.
The officer said the accused still insists he didn’t commit the crimes.
The offences occurred when the girls were all young but didn’t come to light until about seven years ago.
Justice Monica Bast ordered the early detention because the report may not have been completed until early in the New Year, when Crown prosecutor Anders Quist is set to be tied up in a lengthy trial. Defence lawyer Lorne Goddard is away for all of January.
Bast said she didn’t want justice to be delayed until well into the New Year.
A person in custody generally has a psychiatric assessment performed more quickly than a person not in jail.
Bast also allowed three victim impact statements to be read, especially since one of the victims was brought from out of province to read hers.
The women all said they had suffered emotionally, physically and psychologically since their childhoods.
“I never felt accepted . . . never felt I belonged,” the first victim said.
She said she often thought it would have been better to have died and that she has endured “intense nightmares.”
“I long for the day I feel whole,” she said.
The second victim said she always felt ashamed of her body. She said she found herself apologizing to anyone and everyone for most things.
“I don’t know if I will ever feel not afraid.”
The third victim said she has struggled with eating and finds it difficult to communicate with family members and has endured years of stress. She also harbours fear for her own children and has nightmares of her childhood.
jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com