Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A Yellowknife man who sexually assaulted a woman along the Frame Lake Trail in 2008 was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison yesterday.

Territorial Court Chief Judge Robert Gorin doled out the punishment to Anthony William Griep, agreeing with the length of imprisonment suggested by the Crown but considerably longer than the 24-to-30-month sentence sought by Griep's lawyer.

The 25-year-old Yellowknife offender pleaded guilty to the sexual assault after a DNA sample he was forced to submit last year for an unrelated crime matched forensic evidence from the 2008 assault on the trail.

"This occurred in a public place, the Frame Lake Trail, where citizens should feel safe and secure," said Crown prosecutor Jean-Benoit Deschamps during final submissions yesterday.

On June 5, 2008, at approximately 11:45 p.m., the then 19-year-old female victim was walking along the Frame Lake Trail when a male jogger passed, going the opposite direction. About five minutes later, the victim stopped and walked closer to the water to look at the sunset, when she saw the male jogger come back. He ran up behind her and placed one hand on the right side of her chest and his left hand between her legs.

The court heard that as Griep pulled the victim back across the trail and into the rocks and bushes on the other side, he kept apologizing to her. She asked him not to sexually assault her, but to no avail.

When the assault was over, Griep ran off down the trail while the victim put her clothes back on and went home. She later went to Stanton Territorial Hospital seeking medical attention.

The victim opted not to enter a victim impact statement in this case. However, a pre-sentence report referred to in court yesterday conveyed her severe trauma due to the assault. She now suffers seizures and auditory hallucinations of footsteps falling behind her. She has not been in a relationship since the assault and often avoids social situations.

In her closing submissions yesterday, defence lawyer Baljindar Rattan said Griep is deeply ashamed of his actions and to this day can not offer a reason for why he committed the crime. Since the assault, he has made efforts to change his habits by stopping the use of crack cocaine and other drugs, and has tried to curb his drinking habit, she said.

"I need to take responsibility," Griep told the court yesterday. "I want to say sorry to the victim and her family, and to the community of Yellowknife.

"I'd like to say sorry to my family too," he said. "I've hurt a lot of people by doing this."

At the time of the sexual assault, Griep had no prior criminal record, but he has since been convicted of uttering threats and failing to attend court.

Although all jail sentences of over two years must be served in federal penitentiaries, Gorin said he would make a recommendation that Griep be allowed to serve his jail time in the North, as Rattan agreed this would be preferred. However, that decision lies with Corrections Canada.

Griep's mother sat beside him during court Tuesday, listening to Gorin deliver his verdict through headphones. When her son was being led from the courtroom, she gave him a hug and told him she loved him.

"I'll see you later," he said.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.