Man gets 3 years for sex assaults against girl

Warning: disturbing content

A judge imposed a three-year prison sentence to a man who admitted sexually assaulting his roommate’s eight-year-old daughter more than a decade ago in Saskatoon.

The victim grew up not knowing where Terry William McCullough was or why he wasn’t facing charges, Justice Allisen Rothery said Thursday in delivering her sentence in Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench. Court heard McCullough left Saskatoon in 2005 after police interviewed him in connection with the assaults. McCullough wasn’t found until 2015. He was charged with sexual assault and sexual interference and pleaded guilty to both offences in April.

Outlining the aggravating factors, Rothery said McCullough blamed police for not finding him instead of admitting he breached probation when he left Saskatoon.

The Crown argued for a fouryear sentence, pointing to previous cases in which other child sex offenders received similar sentences. Rothery noted McCullough’s guilty plea spared the victim from having to testify, and he’s shown remorse for what he did 12 years ago.

The court helped facilitate a face-to-face meeting between McCullough and the victim after last month’s sentencing submissions.

Defence lawyer Michael Nolin had argued for a sentence of between one and two years less a day.

McCullough sexually assaulted the victim multiple times between December 2004 and June 2005. He was abusing alcohol at the time and although he does not remember the assaults, he doesn’t dispute them either, Nolin said.

Part of McCullough’s sentence bans him from going to parks and pools for 10 years after his release.