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Calgary day home operator gets four years for sexually assaulting girls

CALGARY — A Calgary day home operator has been sentenced to four years in prison for sexually assaulting two little girls a total of 100 times.

CALGARY — A Calgary day home operator has been sentenced to four years in prison for sexually assaulting two little girls a total of 100 times.

David Watkins, 67, apologized to the families of the two girls and his own relatives for sexually touching the children at his Silver Springs day home.

Judge Allan Fradsham described the case as being at “the upper end of the intensity scale for sexual assault.”

Fradsham rejected Watkin’s explanation his actions resulted from frustration over surgery that left him impotent.

Fradsham noted Watkins had abused his position, saying “he knew when he violated this trust he knew he was doing something wrong.”

Watkins admitted to assaulting the girls, who were between the ages of six and eight, in the basement of his home while his wife, recovering from an injury, couldn’t venture downstairs.

One of the girls was assaulted over a 15 1/2 month period in 2007-08 while the other endured the touching for 9 1/2 months, court heard.

Earlier in the hearing the mother of one of the girls calmly read a victim impact statement, detailing how her daughter is still too traumatized to sleep normally or sometimes use the bathroom.

“She still can’t sleep alone and she still leaves that shower curtain open,” said the mom.

“It’ll possibly haunt her for a lifetime — no child should ever have to feel so afraid.”

She said her family will never forgive Watkins, who later delivered an apology, stating: “I’m truly sorry for what I did — I hope the girls will recover quickly.”

Defence lawyer Jim Lutz argued Watkins had suffered family trauma due to his actions and that his crime was an anomaly for a man active in his community.

“The offence that occurred was out of character for him,” said Lutz, who asked for a three-year sentence.

“A strong amount of community support exists for this individual.”