"These are the people in yoru neighbourhood"

Montreal pedophile dad sentenced to 15 years

Somehow I don't think Mr. Rogers was thinking about pedophiles during his oft-quoted rhyme about the people that live in our neighbourhoods. Maybe he had never been to Montreal then.

Today's story of crack-pot justice and the need for harsher social penalties comes from the province of Quebec. A Montreal man is convicted of sexually assaulting his *two-year-old daughter* and posting the pictures on the internet. His sentence? 15 years in prison.

But don't worry kids, after he's free (assuming he doesn't get out earlier for 'good' behaviour) he'll be under "strict" surveillance because he's been also declared a long-term offender who's shown no remorse or empathy.

Here's where our judicial system once again drops the ball: The judge said there was sufficient evidence against the man to declare him a dangerous sexual offender, but she noted that the Crown didn't ask for that, so she declared him a long-term offender.

Riiiiiight.

The timing is quite impeccable. When the 32-year-old man is released, his daughter will be just old enough to truly hate him for what he's done. Teen angst has a funny way of playing these things out.

Good thing they'll have two more weeks to rethink the decision: the man will be back in court for pre-sentencing arguments in another case, this time involving the sexual touching of his neighbour's daughter.

Against capital punishment? Fine. You can be the one who explains to the children why this waste of skin was able to perpetually re-offend. I just hope it's not a little girl you know that he meets the next time he's freely walking down the street.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/11/02/pedophile051102.html