Incestuous father gets five years

Fled Canada after teen reported him, arrested on return

The day after learning his daughter had reported his incestuous behaviour to the authorities, a Calgary man fled Canada for South Africa, court heard Wednesday.

But 51/2 years later, when the man tried to return to Canada, he was arrested by border agents at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, Crown prosecutor Alexandra Russell said.

Provincial court Judge Peter accepted a joint submission from Russell and defence lawyer Tyson Dahlem for a five-year prison term on a conviction for incest.

Russell told Barley the man forced himself on his then-15year-old daughter on more than one occasion after she came to Calgary to live with relatives.

But shortly after she turned 18, the victim reported her father to her uncle, a school counsellor and then the police, Russell said.

On March 17, 2014, the uncle told the offender he had been reported to the police and the father booked a flight to South Africa for the next day.

“On Nov. 9, 2019, the accused re-entered Canada via Pearson International Airport in Toronto and was arrested ... by the Canada Border Services Agency,” Russell said.

The prosecutor also read in a victim-impact statement from the daughter, who said her father’s behaviour left her suicidal and scarred to this day.

“I want you to know you destroyed my life,” the woman wrote.

“You made me want to end my life.”

The woman said she tried to drink bleach and considered jumping in front of a train.

“I see people post Father’s Day messages and I cry.”

She also said her victimization has left her feeling she’s not “worthy of love.”

But Barley said she shouldn’t think that way.

“You did not do anything that would make you not worthy of love,” Barley said.

“You’re more deserving of love because of what you’ve gone through.

“Most men are decent people, you, unfortunately, got born to one who wasn’t.”