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Man gets six years for assaults Arviat assailant conducted 'campaign of terror and torture' against woman
Danielle Sachs
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 3, 2013
ARVIAT
An Arviat man was sentenced to six years in a federal penitentiary last week for a series of assaults on a woman.
On April 12, Jonathan Arloo was convicted on two counts of aggravated assault, failing to comply with a non-contact order, sexual assault causing bodily harm, counselling to commit suicide and failure to comply with a recognizance.
Arloo pleaded guilty to the charges in January. The incidents occurred between April and December of 2012.
In the judgment report released near the end of May, Justice Bonnie Tulloch described the series of events as disturbing.
"The Crown prosecutor, in her submissions, described this case as being one where the accused launched a campaign of terror and torture upon (the woman). I cannot describe it any better than that," she said.
In April 2012, Arloo had a disagreement with the victim and stuck his finger in her mouth, tearing through the right-hand corner of her cheek.
The victim needed 10 stitches and further plastic surgery in Winnipeg. She will always have a scar from the injury.
Arloo was also convicted of a series of brutal assaults, most of which were sexual in nature. At one point he told police that he viciously assaulted her because the victim needed to feel what it was like to be hurt.
Arloo had also told the victim to kill herself and gave her the string from his pants and later a knife.
"The facts in this case are very grave. There are multiple offences which could have resulted in the death of (the victim)," said Tulloch.
"In this case, we start with an aggravated assault and while on conditions not to have any contact, another aggravated assault takes place. But the violence does not stop there. It continues with what can only be described as an extremely serious sexual assault causing bodily harm, further violence and finally the violence ends with counselling by the accused for (the woman) to commit suicide."
Arloo was given credit for five-and-a-half months he spent in custody, beginning on Dec. 8.
Tulloch said there is no defence for what happened to the victim, who became frightened and extremely vulnerable.
Arloo grew up watching his father abuse his mother until they separated when he was 12. After the separation, he was cared for by his mother and grandmother. Occasionally his uncles would pick on him and beat him up.
"Research tells us that children who witness violence in their homes and between their parents often grow up to become abusers themselves," said Tulloch.
Tulloch said she thought about the history of colonialism, displacement and residential schools during sentencing.
"The specific facts of this case and the lack of remorse by the accused, speaks to a deep-rooted disrespect for women in general. The way Arloo treated the woman ... is completely and utterly unacceptable by anyone's culture or standards," said Tulloch.
"Arloo's counsel urged me to accept his guilty pleas as a first step in his rehabilitation. My hope will be that Arloo will be able to participate in programs at the federal penitentiary that will assist him in dealing with the root cause of his behaviour."
On top of time served, Arloo is prohibited from owning or operating firearms for 10 years.
He also has to provide a DNA sample and submit to the sex offender registry for 20 years. He is also not allowed to communicate in any way with the victim.
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