Man jailed 90 days after marrying woman he assaulted four times

VICTORIA — Marrying the woman he has assaulted four times in the past two years has landed a Victoria man in jail for 90 days.

Kevin Knorr pleaded guilty Wednesday to breaching the conditions of his probation order to have no contact or communication with his girlfriend and victim Cheryl Dales.

After being released from jail on Nov. 13, Knorr and Dales contacted a marriage commissioner. They were married at a coffee shop at Victoria’s Fisherman’s Wharf the next day.

This fifth breach of the no-contact order was “fairly egregious,” Crown prosecutor Steve Fudge told Victoria provincial court. “Mr. Knorr has shown complete contempt for court orders,” said Fudge, who asked for a four-month jail sentence to send Knorr the message that he can’t ignore court orders with impunity.

Chantelle Sutton, who represents Knorr, asked for a 30-day jail sentence, saying there was no suggestion of violence with this breach.

“This file came to the officer’s attention through a Facebook post, showing the marriage at the Moka House,” Sutton said. “There was no fear or violence and we assume Miss Dales was a willing person in the breach because she got married.”

The issue with Knorr, a 41-yearold carpenter, is unique, Sutton said. “He has no addiction problems or reporting problems, just the no-contact breaches.”

Sutton applied to the court to have the no-contact order changed to allow Knorr to contact Dales with her consent.

“They say they are very much in love and want to have a relationship. Having contact with her consent would give her more power over her life,” Sutton said. “They are sneaking around — and not very well, especially with the Facebook post.”

Dales goes back and forth, expressing fear to the police, then recanting, Fudge told Judge Jennifer Barrett. In one incident, Dales jumped five to six metres from a balcony to escape Knorr because she feared for her life, Fudge said.

Violence has occurred and there will be more, he predicted.

“Miss Dales remains in the residence until the danger point has come and Mr. Knorr remains in the residence until his anger hits the threshold and he assaults her,” Fudge said.