A 21-year-old Kamloops man will serve a prison and probation sentence after pleading guilty today in B.C. provincial court to having sex with a 13-year-old girl he lured over the Internet. But according to circumstances relayed in court, it appears he wasn't the only one with a lure.

Alexander J. G. Kennedy faced charges of sexual interference of a person under 16 and communicating via computer to lure a child under 16 in May, 2011. During his sentencing hearing, the Crown revealed differing stories by the girl and the man.

The girl said Kennedy asked her via social media if she wanted to hang out. She said he raped her at a Kamloops high school when they got together. There was no physical evidence of rape but her mother reported changes in the girl including depressive and suicidal tendencies, including hospitalization.

"He offered an account that was quite different," Crown prosecutor Bernie Caffaro said.

Kennedy admitted to having intercourse with the girl but said it was consensual, that the girl instigated it and that she tried to blackmail him following the incident. He said she continued contacting him after the fact, texting him relentlessly, blackmailing him and eventually luring him to a threesome with a friend. Upon meeting the girl and her friend, Kennedy said they held his hands behind his back and repeatedly punched him.

Chat logs reveal a discussion between Kennedy and the girl acknowledging each others' ages before their encounter and the courts heard that the girl had created an alternate social media profile she used to contact Kennedy, testing whether he would be interested in another young girl.

Caffaro said differences in stories are to be expected, but he said it was remarkable that Kennedy's account of being beat up included the specific name of the girl's friend.

"There is no evidence he knew her at the time," Caffaro said.

During questioning, the girl and her friend admitted to punching him and Caffaro said it brought about issues of credibility. The Crown said the girl had a history of sexual abuse.

"She has been through a lot based on what we know," said Caffaro. "The guilty plea has been a real benefit to the victim."

"He's realized it was a terrible mistake," said defense lawyer Jeremy Jensen. "He's incredibly remorseful for what he's done."

Kennedy will serve 14 days in prison intermittently as well as one year probation. He is also required to provide a sample of his DNA, avoid all contact with the girl, have five years of Internet restrictions and be registered in the sexual offenders database for 10 years.

"The Crown believes incarceration, albeit minimal, will have an impact on him," said Crown prosecutor Bernie Caffaro.

Kennedy will begin serving his prison sentence at Kamoops Regional Correctional Centre on Jan. 11, 2013.

— Jessica Wallace
jwallace@infotelnews.ca
(250)319-7494

News from © iNFOnews, 2013