Student’s expulsion urged for sex crime

CALGARY — The mother of a University of Calgary student convicted of sexual interference says the school has asked him to stay away from campus as an online petition demanding his expulsion grows.

In November, Connor Neurauter, 21, pleaded guilty in a Kamloops court to one count of sexual interference with a minor. Another charge of possession of child pornography was later dropped.

Neurauter was sentenced to 90 days in jail and two years of probation. He’ll also be registered as a sex offender for 10 years. The B.C. Prosecution Service says he served the first day of his sentence on Jan. 4, but the judge permitted him to serve the remainder starting May 4 after finishing his semester at the University of Calgary.

By Thursday afternoon, more than 46,000 people had signed the petition urging the university to expel Neurauter. “While the courts have seemingly failed the victim, the University of Calgary now has the opportunity to help change the narrative of this story,” the petition says.

The university said in a statement that it is reviewing the situation and that Neurauter is not on campus this week.

His mother, Susan Neurauter, said the university has asked him to stay off campus. “They’re saying they’re concerned for him having a successful educational experience and that they won’t be able to keep him safe.”

She said her son has been threatened online and she has heard students are demanding class lists to find out where he’s going to be on campus. She said there’s nothing unusual about a court allowing an intermittent sentence and her son was not treated differently.

In interviews with Postmedia and CBC News, the victim’s mother said Neurauter was given special treatment by the courts throughout the trial and that it’s unfair he has the opportunity to finish his semester before going to jail.

The mother cannot be identified because of a publication ban meant to protect the victim, who was 13 at the time of the offence.

Kamloops This Week reported from the trial that Neurauter, a former junior hockey goaltender, obtained nude photos from the girl and threatened to show them to her family. The court heard he was 18 when he and the girl had a brief relationship, the newspaper reported.

By taking a plea bargain, Neurauter gave up his opportunity to tell his side of the story in court, his mother said. His choice was meant to minimize the impact on the victim, she said. “Of course he has regrets and remorse, but he was making an effort to not only acknowledge that, but put this behind him.”

The University of Calgary’s Consent Awareness and Sexual Education Club called the light punishment Neurauter received shameful.

“The lack of significant consequences faced by Neurauter and other sexual predators demonstrates the dismissive attitude that society shows toward sexual violence and abuse,” the club said in a statement this week.