North Okanagan senior who raped his granddaughter gets 4 years jail

A 77-year-old North Okanagan man who repeatedly sexually abused his 14-year-old granddaughter will spend four and a half years in jail.

Today, Feb. 10, at the Vernon courthouse, the frail-looking senior with hearing issues had to be moved from the dock to be closer to the Justice appearing by video, so he could hear his sentencing.

Justice Allan Betton described the senior's crimes as "disturbing, troubling, and tragic."

The 77-year-old's name is not being published to protect the identity of the victim which is covered under a court-imposed publication ban.

Previously, the court had heard how he had sexually abused his granddaughter while she was in his care over a period of three years.

READ MORE: North Okanagan senior who raped his granddaughter will wait to learn his fate

The granddaughter had become pregnant when she was roughly 14 years old and had the child. The sexual abuse continued for a year after the child was born. The child is now a teenager.

"Everyone affected has to live with the consequences of (the seniors) actions," Justice Betton told the court. "The impact of the accused offending is devastating on many levels."

Crown prosecutor Margaret Cissell read out an emotional victim impact statement from the granddaughter at an early court appearance.

"He was an adult in my life who was supposed to protect me… his actions completely changed my life, if he had not done what he did to me I could have had a whole different life, but that was taken from me."

The granddaughter had dropped out of school, moved out and slipped into alcohol and drug abuse.

"I never told anyone the truth because no one would believe me," the granddaughter's statement read.

The granddaughter had two more children but had lost all her kids into care. Now, years later she has them back.

The Crown had argued for six to nine years in jail.

Defence layer Jonathon Avis argued for a sentence of house arrest citing the accused incredibly poor health.

The 77-year-old has severe heart disease, has had numerous heart attacks, two strokes and has suffered from a variety of other serious health conditions.

The defence argued the senior was at a low risk to re-offend.

The senior had also attended the notorious Kamloops Indian Residential School for one year where he had been physically, but not sexually abused.

However, the Justice dismissed the option of house arrest and sentenced the senior to four-and-a-half years jail.

He was then led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.

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