Joint sentence of 16 months in jail agreed to by all sides

Steven Michael Provost of Kensington pleads guilty to sexual touching

A 40-year-old Kensington man has pleaded guilty to a single count of touching a person under the age of 14 for a sexual purpose.

Steven Michael Provost originally pleaded not guilty to three related charges against him but changed his plea to guilty on the lesser charge on Aug. 22.

The Crown and Provost’s defence counsel, as well as the victim and her parents, agreed on a joint sentencing recommendation of 16 months in jail and 24 months of probation, which the judge agreed to.

Provost’s guilty plea meant that the victim did not have to testify, a factor the courts weigh heavily when giving judgment. This was also Provost’s first criminal charge.

In addition to the time in jail and probation, Provost was ordered to submit a DNA sample to the national databank, and his name will be added to the national sex offender registry.

Provost’s abuse of the victim took place on numerous occasions over a period of years, though exactly when it started and how often the abuse took place is disputed between the two sides.

The abuse came to light in 2015 when the victim confided in an adult.