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A 37-year-old Williams Lake man was handed a three-year prison sentence for brutal sexual assaults on his former partner, who was in late term pregnancy at the time.

He was facing four charges in which he was already found guilty in October 2020, and the sentence from Justice Warren Milman was handed on Sept. 20, 2021 at Williams Lake Supreme Court.

The accused, whose name is withheld due to a publication ban, sexually assaulted his partner of seven years in January 2017.

The couple had three children already and she was seven to eight months pregnant with their fourth when the assault occurred at his grandmother's apartment where he was living, according to the decision.

While she only came to visit and watch TV, he refused to let her leave. A violent assault ensued where he hit her in the face and raped her.

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She spent weeks in hospital and the baby was born one month later.

The victim provided a victim impact statement to the court where she said she is still afraid of him even though she has not seen him in four years.

She has ongoing stiffness in her neck and has moved from her home twice out of fear of what the offender might do to her or her family, according to Justice Milman's decision.

Milman said the man had a difficult childhood where he was abused and exposed to substance abuse in his home.

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He has struggled with his own alcohol and drug addictions in the past, but he has since completed a six month recovery program at VisionQuest in 2019.

The offender also experienced intergenerational trauma within his family as his grandparents were sent to Indian residential school and both his parents struggled with substance abuse.

"He has expressed an interest in Indigenous spirituality-based therapeutic and addiction programs as part of his post-release plan. He has completed programs while in custody," Milman said in his decision.

In the initial October 2020 trial where the man was found guilty, he faced four charges, including uttering threats to cause death or harm, unlawful confinement, assault and sexual assault.

While prosecutor Haydn Shook sought a combined four-and-a-half years in prison, with credit for 500 days in custody, defense lawyer Anthony Lagemaat argued two-and-a-half years in prison would be appropriate with two years on probation.

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Warren's decision to impose a three-year sentence will include a credit for 500 days he has already spent in custody. His time in prison will be followed by 18 months on probation.

The man cannot have contact with the victim while in custody nor when he is released, unless a subsequent court decision allows contact in the future.

During probation, he was ordered to check in with his probation officer and attend counselling as directed by the officer. He will also be registered as a sex offender for 20 years.

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