B.C. mom weeps at dangerous offender hearing as she recounts daughter’s turmoil

PENTICTON, B.C. – The mother of a 22-year-old woman wept as she recounted the emotional turmoil her daughter has endured since being beaten and sexually assaulted over several hours inside a second hand store in Penticton, B.C.

The attacker, David Bobbitt, is facing a dangerous offender hearing after pleading guilty to aggravated assault, aggravated sexual assault, assault with a weapon, two counts of unlawful confinement and two counts of uttering threats in connection with the July 31, 2011 incident. The victim’s two-year-old son was present.

A written statement from the woman was accepted as evidence at a 2012 preliminary inquiry, but Crown lawyer Nashina Devji told B.C. Supreme Court on Monday that additional details are expected to come forward during the hearing. She is scheduled to testify July 4.

Justice Peter Rogers granted an application for the woman to testify via video link after her mother told the hearing that her daughter would be unable to step into the same room as her attacker.

“I don’t think I could get her through the front door,” she said. “She told me herself she thinks she would shut down.”

The mother said family members were unable to leave her daughter alone in the weeks following the attack.

“She needed to have somebody with her 24 hours a day.”

The daughter even had emotional problems when putting her toddler into a car seat, fearing someone would sneak up behind her while her back was turned.

Eventually she moved to the central Okanagan, but would call home if she ever heard a noise around her house.

Although she realizes Bobbitt has been in jail since his arrest in early August 2011, she fears his friends or family members might come for her.

“It’s been a battle, but she’s getting better,” the mother said.

Defence lawyer James Pennington asked for copies of any police documents about two other alleged victims of Bobbitt who are scheduled to testify.

The four-week hearing is expected to continue until July 8 before resuming in September. (Penticton Herald)