Man gets prison for sexual assault of teen

40-year-old given three and half years, to be added to national offender registry

Warning: Story contains details of sexual assault

A 40-year-old Saskatoon man convicted of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy after taking him to an acreage southwest of the city has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

Justice Grant Currie imposed the sentence for Kyle Edward Norman on Thursday in Saskatoon Court of King's Bench.

A jury convicted Norman after a trial in February.

Speaking through tears before he was sentenced, Norman said he maintains his innocence, but apologized to his family for what he called a “mistake.”

He told court that everyone would be better off if he wasn't “in the throes of addiction,” and in the future, he will be more careful about how he interacts with young people.

All of Norman's past allegations have involved him meeting either teens or young men online. This was his first time going to trial.

At his trial, Norman testified that he had consensual sex with the teen at his home on Hodgson Road in March 2021 after they met online.

The victim testified that Norman picked him up, took him to a remote area and attempted to have anal sex with him four times in a bedroom after he told him to stop.

Arguing for a sentence of two and a half years, followed by three years of probation, defence lawyer Aleida Oberholzer said the case is unique because the victim had consented to certain sex acts with Norman when they were exchanging text messages.

In the messages, the victim went back and forth about engaging in anal penetration.

Crown prosecutor Tyla Olenchuk sought a prison term of four and a half years, citing R v. Friesen. The Supreme Court decision states that sentences for sexual assaults against children must be more severe than sentences for similar offences against adults, and must be elevated from what they previously were.

The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal has stated that sentences for major sexual assaults involving adults should start at three years.

Currie said a sentence of three and a half years acknowledges Norman's family support, but also the victim's age, the fact that he was isolated and couldn't leave, the circumstances of the offence and Norman's prior criminal record.

In May 2020, Norman signed a peace bond — a promise to abide by certain conditions for a specified period of time — after the Crown stayed charges of aggravated assault and confinement against a 19-year-old man from October 2019.

Court heard during the 2021 incident, Norman was breaching his release conditions on two prior sexual assault charges from 2019, which were stayed in October 2022.

Oberholzer said Norman struggles with an addiction to methamphetamine — something the victim testified he saw Norman using multiple times during the assault.

Olenchuk said the Crown doesn't dispute Norman's substance use disorder, but said there is no evidence of how it contributed to the offence.

She said the teen chose not to submit a victim impact statement because he wants to focus on moving forward, noting his testimony about the physical and emotional harm he suffered.

Court heard Norman was also a victim of childhood sexual assault. Olenchuk acknowledged his trauma, adding he would then understand how it damages young people.

Norman was ordered to have no contact with the victim and will be on the national sex offender registry for 20 years. He has two years and eight months remaining on his sentence after receiving an enhanced remand credit.

The Saskatoon Sexual Assault and Information Centre's Crisis Line can be reached at 306-2442224.