Man suffering mental breakdown gets house arrest for sex offences | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Man suffering mental breakdown gets house arrest for sex offences

A former Penticton man will serve a conditional sentence for two incidents of inappropriate sexual conduct as a result of court proceedings this morning, Aug. 21, 2016.

PENTICTON - A former Penticton man suffering mental health issues at the time of his infractions will serve a conditional sentence of house arrest for two incidents of sexual misconduct.

Bryan Thomas Dalrymple pled guilty to two counts of assault and one count of causing a disturbance in Penticton court this morning, Aug. 22.

Crown Prosecutor John Swanson told court Dalrymple’s issues with the law began on Okanagan Lake beach on May 12, 2014.

Dalrymple approached two young girls aged nine and 11, who were playing on the beach.

He had a small dog with him and offered it to the girls to hold. He told them to sit cross-legged and placed the dog in the lap of one, holding the dog in such a way that his hand brushed her pubic area. The girl was uncomfortable with the situation and asked Dalrymple to take the dog from her lap.

He then asked the second girl, who agreed to hold the dog. Dalrymple placed the dog in the girl’s lap the same way, resulting in the second girl also feeling uncomfortable. She also asked him to remove the dog from her lap.

The girl’s mother became concerned and approached the two as Dalrymple disappeared down the beach with the dog. When told what happened, she followed the accused down the beach, but lost sight of him.

Upon returning to the original site, bystanders told the mother Dalrymple had come back and left the beach area in a vehicle they were able to describe. The vehicle was pursued, but couldn’t be located until police were contacted. They found the vehicle a short time later.

On June 5, 2014, Dalrymple was in a downtown Penticton business specializing in women’s wear. He was speaking with two female clerks when he dropped his keys on the floor and used his cell phone to take what Swanson described as an “up skirt photo” of the employees.

Swanson asked Judge Gale Sinclair to consider a joint submission, four month conditional sentence as well as 12 months probation for the two incidents.

Defence lawyer Michael Welsh told court his 28-year-old client, who has relocated out of Penticton, was suffering a “major nervous breakdown” at the time of the incidents.

He said his client’s motives at the beach were not sexual but noted Dalrymple should have realized how uncomfortable the girls were, adding the incident took place in less than a minute.

Welsh said his client suffered from clinical depression, and spent four weeks in Penticton Regional Hospital’s psychiatric ward in July 2014.

Since then, his client had been in Vancouver General Hospital under psychiatric care in addition to undergoing drug, alcohol and sexual abuse counselling. He said his client had been clean and sober since leaving the Penticton hospital psychiatric ward.

He quoted family members as saying Dalrymple was now a “completely different person.”

Dalrymple apologized to the court, expressing remorse for what he’d done and said he worked hard to change his ways.

“It sounds like you have and I’m glad you have,” said Judge Sinclair.

The judge agreed to the joint submission, sentencing Dalrymple to four months’ house arrest followed by 12 months probation.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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