Current Temperature

0.1°C

March 28, 2024 March 28, 2024

Incarceration for luring youth

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Taber Times

In Taber provincial court on Nov. 12, a 35-year-old local man pled guilty to luring a child under the age of 16. Donald F. Bourassa was sentenced to 15 months of incarceration and 18 months of probation by Judge P.G. Pharo.

A further two counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual interference were withdrawn by the Crown.

Crown prosecutor Jennifer Rees of Special Prosecutions in Calgary summarized the case. The court learned the mother of a young girl had contacted the Taber Police Service to report a total of 66 text message communications of a sexual nature between the accused and her daughter, suggesting Bourassa was attempting to initiate a sexual relationship with the underage girl.

According to Rees, the communications in question occured between Aug. 30 and Aug. 31, 2012. Police initated an investigation, seizing Bourassa’s phone and computers, and the accused was eventually charged with various offences.

The identity of the victim is subject to a court ordered publication ban.

Bourassa, currently a serving prisoner in relation to unrelated convictions, has a lengthy record of drug and property related offences, but had no previous record of sexual misconduct.

Credited for 355 days of pre-trial custody, the accused will only be required to serve a further 95 days before his release.

As conditions of his probation upon release from custody, Bourassa was ordered to attend for assessment, treatment and counselling for drug and alcohol abuse and sex-related issues.

The accused will also be prohibited from contact with anyone under the age of 16 unless another adult is present, and will also be banned from electronic contact with anyone under the age of 16 for a period of 10 years.

In addition, the accused will be subject to a 20-year inclusion under the Sex Offender Information Registry Act (SOIRA), and was also ordered to surrender a sample of his DNA for the National DNA Data Bank.

Judge Pharo did not issue a victim-fine surcharge.

Leave a Reply

Get More The Taber Times
Log In To Comment Latest Paper Subscribe