January 16, 2019 - 8:49 AM
KELOWNA, B.C. - A British Columbia provincial court judge who teared up over a victim impact statement in a sex crimes trial has sentenced the accused to 14 months in jail.
Jeremy Carlson, also known as Rhiley Carlson, pleaded guilty to sexual interference involving a minor.
The victim in the case was an eight-year-old girl.
During a sentencing hearing last May, Carlson's lawyer complained of apparent judicial bias and requested that Monica McParland recuse herself after the judge was seen wiping a tear from her eye during a statement from the child's mother.
McParland refused and noted that the Supreme Court of Canada and the Canadian Judicial Council both agree that judges are human and not expected to be robots."
Carlson's sentence also includes two years of probation.
The Crown had recommended between 15 and 20 months in jail and 24 months of probation.
The defence sought a 90-day intermittent jail sentence to be served on weekends, followed by three years of probation.
Carlson, who now identifies as a woman, has also been placed on the national sex offender registry for 20 years. (Daily Courier)
News from © Kelowna Courier, 2019