Burns Lake community trust 'broken' after sentencing of former mayor for sex crimes

The number of people asking for a review of the sentence handed to a high-profile offender in northern B.C. continues to grow.

Over 2,600 people have signed an online petition to ask Attorney General David Eby to review the sentencing decision made at the conclusion of former Burns Lake mayor Luke Strimbold's trial.

Strimbold, 29, was sentenced to two years less a day in provincial jail last week.

He pleaded guilty to four counts of sex crimes against victims under the age of 16, some of which occurred while he was in office. He also faces two years probation and will be on the sex offender registry for 20 years.

But village Coun. Charlie Rensby told CBC's Daybreak North many residents are frustrated with the sentence and feel like their trust has been broken.

"Everyone believed in him. He was Burns Lake's golden boy," said Rensby, adding Strimbold did lots to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. "To have this happen in the end, all the good he's done now has a black mark on it."

Rensby also said he didn't agree with the defence plea for a lighter sentence, because Strimbold was himself abused and a closeted gay man who had been bullied while growing up in Burns Lake. 

"That is not an excuse, whatsoever," said Rensby.

He said it's troubling because it perpetuates an old stereotype that members of the LGBT community go after children, which can create a lot of hate in the community.

Rehabilitation: Does it work?

Strimbold will serve his sentence in a provincial institution, which will allow him to continue treatment with the psychologist he's been working with.

Professor and psychologist Dr. Karl Hanson told Daybreak North host Carolina de Ryk in this case, the most effective deterrence is a combination of prison time, community supervision and psychological counselling.

Dr. Hanson spent almost 20 years with Public Safety Canada researching risk assessment and rehabilitation of sexual offenders and said the length of the sentence has little influence deterring future offences.

"That's not a calculation that people do. Their calculation is, will I get caught?" Dr. Hanson said, adding perpetrators are likely to keep offending, if they think their chances of getting caught are low.

But Rensby said there's no coming back from hurting children.

"You know, I believe fully in rehabilitation in our Canadian justice system. But there's a line that you cross when you hurt children that there's no coming back from, full stop."

The B.C. Prosecution Service said in a statement the matter is still under review and no decision has yet been made regarding next steps.

Tap the link below to listen to the full interview: