Close X
Saturday, September 21, 2024
ADVT 
National

Crown gives notice of appeal in sex assault case

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 Aug, 2020 08:01 PM
  • Crown gives notice of appeal in sex assault case

The Alberta Crown has filed a notice of appeal over the sentence given to a former Edmonton nightclub employee convicted of sexually assaulting five women.

Matthew McKnight, 33, was sentenced to eight years in prison on July 31.

If the appeal is granted, the Crown says it will challenge the sentence on several grounds including that it's "demonstrably unfit."

McKnight was accused of sexually assaulting 13 women ranging in age from 17 to 22 between 2010 and 2016.

He pleaded not guilty but a jury convicted him on five counts.

Queen's Bench Justice Doreen Sulyma had assessed 16 1/2 years for the five counts — a number she reduced to eight years based on the "moral blameworthiness" of McKnight, his "excellent chances to rehabilitate" and that he was attacked by an inmate while at the Edmonton Remand Centre awaiting bail.

"A sentence of 16.5 years simply exceeds what would be just and appropriate," she said at the time.

The reduced sentence caused outbursts in the courtroom with one woman yelling, "you guys are monsters."

The Crown prosecution service said in the notice of appeal, which was filed Thursday, that the judge erred in her application of the totality principle and overemphasized mitigating factors.

The Crown says the sentence is also not proportionate to the moral gravity of the offences and is demonstrably unfit.

MORE National ARTICLES

Border agency behind on removals: auditor

Border agency behind on removals: auditor
Canada's border agency has failed to promptly remove most of the people under orders to leave the country, the federal auditor general says.

Border agency behind on removals: auditor

Auditor finds $2.4B in unpaid student loans

Auditor finds $2.4B in unpaid student loans
Canada's auditor general has called for the federal government to step up its recovery of outstanding student loans to keep taxpayers from being left on the hook after discovering that $2.4 billion in such loans were in default last year.

Auditor finds $2.4B in unpaid student loans

U.S., Mexico to talk USMCA without Canada

U.S., Mexico to talk USMCA without Canada
The president of Mexico is in Washington to meet with President Donald Trump and celebrate North America's new trade deal — a celebration in which Canada is not taking part.

U.S., Mexico to talk USMCA without Canada

Ban on vaping ads to take effect next month

Ban on vaping ads to take effect next month
Ottawa's new rules restricting the promotion of vaping products in places young people can access are set to come into effect next month.

Ban on vaping ads to take effect next month

Lean, mean, biting machines at military base

Lean, mean, biting machines at military base
A Canadian Forces base in Alberta is recruiting a new battalion of lean, mean, eating machines for a mission that will require limited action this summer.

Lean, mean, biting machines at military base

Rideau Hall incident shows systemic racism: Singh

Rideau Hall incident shows systemic racism: Singh
If the Rideau Hall intruder had been a person of colour, the outcome of last week's events in Ottawa would have been very different, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Wednesday.

Rideau Hall incident shows systemic racism: Singh