A Red Deer man has been placed on the national sex offenders registry for attacking a woman he met online.
Tyler Young, 30 at the time of the attack, was sentenced in Red Deer provincial court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to sexual assault causing bodily harm.
There was no intercourse, but the attack became a sexual assault when Young ripped the woman’s bra off, Crown prosecutor Maurice Collard said in reading the facts for Judge Gordon Deck. He punched her in the face as well, breaking her nose, said Collard.
Court heard that the two had been communicating through a social networking site and met in person for the first time at a gas station just outside of the city at about 3:45 a.m. on Sept. 9, 2010.
They went from there to her rural home, where they shared some marijuana.
Collard said they were seated on separate sofas when Young suddenly jumped up, told the woman, “I know you like it rough,” and plunged, punching her in the face as she fought back.
She was able to kick him off and called her mother for help while he rolled around on the floor with her bra.
Collard cited negative comments within Young’s pre-sentence report as well as a previous criminal record that included two assaults, in asking for a harsher sentence. He said that the maximum available is 15 months.
He said Young did not accept responsibility for his actions and instead blamed the victim, showing no empathy for her and no insight into his own actions.
Defence counsel Walter Kubanek asked for a sentence in the range of six to nine months, saying the attack was out of character for his client, who is unable to explain why he attacked the woman. Kubanek said Young’s decision to plead guilty spared the woman from having to testify.
Deck sentenced Young to 12 months, minus two months for the time he served in pre-trial custody, followed by 18 months of probation upon release.
He also ordered that Young submit a sample of his DNA and that he be placed on the Canadian Sex Offenders Registry for a period of 20 years.
Young is prohibited from owning all firearms and dangerous weapons for 15 years and is prohibited for life from owning restricted weapons.