Sexual assault in pet-store bathroom leads to 4-year sentence

An Edmonton man who molested and exposed himself to a five-year-old girl in the bathroom of a west-end pet store washroom was sentenced Tuesday to four years in prison. 

Adrian Ballantyne, 28, pleaded guilty to sexual interference and breaching probation. A sexual assault charge was withdrawn.

The sentence was longer than the 3 1/2 years recommended jointly by the Crown and defence.  

"It's degrading," said Judge Ferne LeReverend. "It's horrifying."

LeReverend said the girl and her mother will likely never get over the attack.

According to the agreed statement of facts, the child was at a dog adoption event with her mother in June 2015 when the assault occurred.

The girl was walking a dog around the store when Ballantyne pulled her into a washroom. He molested her and exposed himself, before the girl began to cry, saying she wanted to find her mother. That's when he let her go.

The child was able to provide an accurate description of Ballantyne. He was quickly arrested after leaving the store.

Court was told Ballantyne at first denied he was in the pet store, then later gave police a full confession.

Ballantyne said he "came to his senses" after the child started crying for her mother.

"This was a brazen attack by a total stranger on a completely helpless child," Crown prosecutor Laurie Trahan said. "This crime is every parent's worst nightmare."

In their victim impact statements, the girl's mother said she is battling depression, while her father is fighting guilt that he was not there to protect his daughter. The girl is now terrified to be alone and has a decreased appetite.

Defence lawyer Alexander Millman said his client has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and was taking significant amounts of crystal meth.

"He engaged in behaviour which he absolutely views as shocking," Millman said.

LeReverend said Ballantyne had many chances to get help with his alcohol and drug addictions, a total of 14 treatment programs, some of which were not completed.

"The attempts to assist him have not helped," she said.

LeReverend said Ballantyne's likelihood "to reoffend again in a violent way" and "his inability to be treated for his issues" led her to reject the joint submission for sentencing.

Ballantyne is prohibited from owning weapons for the rest of his life. Once released he will not be allowed to attend any place where children are present.

Millman wants to have Ballantyne assessed by Corrections Canada and suggested his client could be sent to the Regional Psychiatric Centre in Saskatchewan.