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

An Edmonton man whomolestedand exposedhimself toa 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 andbreachingprobation. Asexualassault charge was withdrawn.

The sentence was longer than the 3 1/2 yearsrecommended jointly by the Crownanddefence.

"It's degrading," said Judge FerneLeReverend."It's horrifying."

LeReverendsaid 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 molestedher and exposedhimself, before the girl began to cry, sayingshe 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 Ballantyneat firstdeniedhe was in the pet store, then later gave police a full confession.

Ballantynesaid 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 LaurieTrahansaid. "This crime is every parent's worst nightmare."

In their victim impact statements, the girl's mothersaid she is battlingdepression, while her fatheris fightingguiltthat he was notthere to protect his daughter. The girlis 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.

LeReverendsaidBallantynehad many chances to get help with his alcohol and drug addictions, atotal of 14 treatment programs, some ofwhich werenot completed.

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

LeReverend said Ballantyne'slikelihood"toreoffendagain 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 owningweaponsfor the rest of his life. Oncereleased he willnot be allowed to attend any placewhere children are present.

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