Calgary therapist who forced sex on patient sent to prison

Turning counselling sessions into sexual trysts has landed an elderly Calgary therapist a 3½-year prison term.

Justice Jolaine Antonio on Wednesday said Johannes Kilian, 78, abused his position of trust over a client, inducing her to become physically involved with him.

“This type of conduct by a trusted professional must be denounced and deterred,” Antonio said.

Crown prosecutor Darren Maloney had sought a sentence of four years, while defence counsel Dean Zuk proposed a two-year prison term.

Antonio said Kilian’s conduct, in which he had four encounters with his victim, amounted to a major sexual assault as it involved oral sex on the last occasion.

She said the sentencing starting point for a judge to consider in such cases is three years, to be raised or lowered depending on aggravating and mitigating factors.

But Antonio there was very little in terms of mitigation for her to consider.

She noted Kilian took advantage of the woman, leading her to “believe he was her lifeline.”

“He exploited the power imbalance between them,” the Court of Queen’s Bench judge said. “He violated both her sexual integrity and her psychological integrity.”

Antonio noted Kilian was unapologetic for his actions.

“There has … been no expression or demonstration of remorse,” she said.

The woman first began seeing Kilian in 2012, for couple’s counselling with her husband.

But soon she began going to see Kilian, who holds a doctorate in social work from his native South Africa, by herself.

These sessions eventually led to Kilian touching her breasts and other parts of her body, and culminated in an incident in April 2014 in which he forced her to perform oral sex.

In convicting Kilian last month, Antonio said the therapist was able to force the woman to comply because of their professional relationship.

“She was not a willing participant. She complied because she trusted him and needed to preserve a therapeutic relationship on which she depended,” the judge said.

“She said ‘No’ to some of the sexual acts and said ‘Yes’ to none of them.”