Sentencing adjourned for man guilty of sex offences

A young woman who was the victim of years of sexual abuse says it forced her to grow up way too soon.

The victim was in P.E.I. Supreme Court in Charlottetown Thursday for sentencing of her abuser, 42-year-old Joseph Gordon MacRoberts, who appeared before Justice Terri MacPherson after he entered guilty pleas in October to two sex offences, including sexual interference.

He sat at the defence table on the other side of the room from the victim who was in the witness stand as she read from a victim impact statement and said she struggles to get out of bed every day.

“I feel trapped in my own life, my own consciousness,” she said.

During Thursday’s proceedings, Crown attorney Valerie Moore read the facts of the case detailing years of sexual abuse that involved MacRoberts having intercourse with the victim numerous times over several years.

MacRoberts convinced the victim, who was younger than the age of consent when the abuse started, that they were in a relationship with each other.

The victim said she would agree to sex with MacRoberts but didn’t like it.

Eventually she reported the abuse after the last time MacRoberts had sex with her, and the authorities were able to obtain a DNA sample that was a match for him.

Throughout her statement, the victim talked about feeling dirty, gross and disgusting and said she struggles with thoughts of killing herself.

“I just want to go to sleep sometimes and never wake up.”

The victim also addressed MacRoberts’s guilty plea and said she thinks he regrets getting caught.

“I do not think he is sorry at all,” she said.

In her submissions, Moore recommended a sentence of five years in prison and said she was aware of the “devastating impact” MacRoberts’ actions had on the victim.

Defence lawyer Peter Ghiz recommended a sentence of four years.

After Ghiz finished his submissions, MacRoberts rose to address the court and said things happened that shouldn’t have.

MacRoberts said he knew there were lines crossed that shouldn’t have been and he was sorry those lines were crossed.

Before MacPherson adjourned the matter, Moore asked her to consider remanding MacRoberts into custody since he was facing time in a federal penitentiary.

Moore said MacRoberts quit his job and told his employer he was moving to Newfoundland.

There was some concern MacRoberts might leave the province before sentencing, Moore said.

MacPherson did not order MacRoberts be remanded.

MacRoberts will be back in court March 2 to hear his sentence.

A publication ban prevents the publishing of any details that could identify the victim.