Canada's smallest province, Prince Edward Island, is famous for its beautiful beaches and for Lucy Maude Montgomery's incredibly successful Anne of Green Gables. But the romantic, heartwarming story of Anne is nowhere close to reality for some Island girls, like the pre-pubescent child molested and raped for years by a man 15 years her senior.
Shane Douglas Doucette, 29 of Charlottetown, PEI, was sentenced Friday to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to having sexual intercourse with a pre-teen on many occasions.
Doucette pleaded guilty to charges of sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching on Feb. 5. Sexual interference sounds so much nicer than statutory rape, doesn't it?
Doucette is not related to the victim. He knew the child for some months before the sexual assaults began. He had sexual intercourse with the victim on many occasions over a period that lasted more than a year. The molestation started when she was just 8 years old with 'you show me yours - I'll show you mine'. Then quickly progressed to touching and to sexual intercourse by the time she was 10, according to Crown Counsel Valerie Moore.
According to statements the victim gave investigators, Doucette threatened to kill the child if anyone found out.
Doucette had been investigated twice before for inappropriate conduct but not charged.
The court heard, the victim felt ashamed for "not having the guts" to end the abuse.
Clare Henderson, Doucette’s defence counsel, said Doucette now acknowledges the relationship between the victim and himself was entirely inappropriate given her age.
Henderson said Doucette believed he and the victim loved each other and were in a consensual relationship.
She noted that Doucette has accepted responsibility for his actions and that by pleading guilty has spared the victim from having to testify in court. However, it is obvious that the Judge did not believe her. Provincial court Judge Nancy Orr said Doucette shows no sign of understanding the severity of what he did, adding he still poses a significant risk to young people.
So, why only 7 years? For dozens if not hundreds of rapes of a little girl under threat of her life. This is so inadequate! He will be back out molesting other little girls in a couple years.
P.E.I. courts began stepping up prison terms for sex offenders four years ago. The change came after the P.E.I. Supreme Court noted courts in P.E.I. were lagging behind the rest of Canada.
Orr said prison terms on the Island need to go higher yet, case by case. No kidding, so why didn't you start?
Please pray for this young girl to get the help she needs and the healing she needs to go on and have a 'normal' life. And also pray for PEI to increase its inadequate sentencing of sexual offenders. The courts need to be more protective of our children and less so of our pedophiles.
Shane Douglas Doucette, 29 of Charlottetown, PEI, was sentenced Friday to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to having sexual intercourse with a pre-teen on many occasions.
Doucette pleaded guilty to charges of sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching on Feb. 5. Sexual interference sounds so much nicer than statutory rape, doesn't it?
Doucette is not related to the victim. He knew the child for some months before the sexual assaults began. He had sexual intercourse with the victim on many occasions over a period that lasted more than a year. The molestation started when she was just 8 years old with 'you show me yours - I'll show you mine'. Then quickly progressed to touching and to sexual intercourse by the time she was 10, according to Crown Counsel Valerie Moore.
According to statements the victim gave investigators, Doucette threatened to kill the child if anyone found out.
Doucette had been investigated twice before for inappropriate conduct but not charged.
The court heard, the victim felt ashamed for "not having the guts" to end the abuse.
Clare Henderson, Doucette’s defence counsel, said Doucette now acknowledges the relationship between the victim and himself was entirely inappropriate given her age.
Henderson said Doucette believed he and the victim loved each other and were in a consensual relationship.
She noted that Doucette has accepted responsibility for his actions and that by pleading guilty has spared the victim from having to testify in court. However, it is obvious that the Judge did not believe her. Provincial court Judge Nancy Orr said Doucette shows no sign of understanding the severity of what he did, adding he still poses a significant risk to young people.
So, why only 7 years? For dozens if not hundreds of rapes of a little girl under threat of her life. This is so inadequate! He will be back out molesting other little girls in a couple years.
P.E.I. courts began stepping up prison terms for sex offenders four years ago. The change came after the P.E.I. Supreme Court noted courts in P.E.I. were lagging behind the rest of Canada.
Orr said prison terms on the Island need to go higher yet, case by case. No kidding, so why didn't you start?
Please pray for this young girl to get the help she needs and the healing she needs to go on and have a 'normal' life. And also pray for PEI to increase its inadequate sentencing of sexual offenders. The courts need to be more protective of our children and less so of our pedophiles.
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