A young Rocky Mountain House man received a federal jail sentence on Monday for a sexual assault that he committed more than two years ago.
Brian Hans Andersen, 20, was jailed for two and a half years when he appeared in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench for a sentence hearing.
Andersen pleaded guilty earlier this year to assaulting a Rocky area woman who was sleeping in a residence in July 2007.
Court heard Andersen had been out drinking and smoking cocaine and marijuana that night and was invited to stay at a residence by the victim’s roommate to “crash.”
The victim was sleeping in a nearby bedroom with her boyfriend and when he got up to go the washroom, Andersen came into the bedroom and forced the woman onto the floor, where he had sex with her.
A pre-sentence report on Andersen, which included an examination by a psychiatrist and a psychologist, concluded that Andersen was a high risk to re-offend in criminal behaviour in general.
“He shows reckless and self-indulgent behaviour,” Crown prosecutor Anders Quist said in using language from the reports.
Andersen also has serious problems with drugs and alcohol, said Quist, who sought a three-year term.
“He has largely been out of control the last three years,” Quist said of language in the reports.
Defence lawyer Patty MacNaughton said her client hasn’t received treatment for his addictions and had no criminal record before the assault.
However, since he was charged Andersen has violated numerous terms of his bail release.
She said a community-based sentence in which Andersen could receive treatment would suffice.
She said at the most her client should be jailed for no more than two years if the court didn’t see fit for a conditional community sentence.
Quist said the victim’s impact statement indicated the assault has had a “devastating” impact on her life.
Justice Earl Wilson said community safety was paramount because of the report’s mention that Andersen was a high risk to re-offend.
He said the guilty plea does indicate remorse on the part of the accused.
Andersen must also surrender a sample of his DNA and had his name placed on a sex offender registry.
jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com