A Moncton man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for charges of sexual assault and child pornography, all of which occurred while he was babysitting.
Dillon Turpin, 28, pleaded guilty in April to sexual assault, making child pornography, possessing child pornography, and making available sexually explicit material to someone under the age of 16.
A seven-year sentence was handed down in Moncton provincial court by Judge Troy Sweet Thursday.
Sweet repeated what Shara Munn, the Crown prosecutor on the file, said at a previous hearing that sexual offences like these need to be denounced and deterred.
The judge read a victim impact statement from the boy, who said he had to move, leave school, and wants to leave Moncton because it “ruined his life.”
Turpin was a babysitter to his victim and would babysit for periods that extended to multiple weeks at a time while the boy’s mother was away for work.
The judge said anal and oral sex happened between September 1, 2016 and January 31, 2018.
Three hundred items, including a sex toy, camera, and other electronic items that had pictures and video of the boy, were seized.
Facts of the case were disclosed at his first sentencing hearing in May.
READ MORE: Moncton court hears that man gained access to sexual assault victim through babysitting
The judge’s orders include Turpin be required to submit a DNA order. He will be placed on the sex offender registry for life, receive a 10-year firearm prohibition, not have contact with children for 20 years, and can’t access digital networks.
A forfeiture order was also announced.
The defence had recommended a four-year imprisonment for Turpin based on case law submitted, but Judge Sweet said that was too lenient for the level of assault on the young victim.
“These matters were planned, filmed and essentially choreographed by the accused babysitter,” said Judge Sweet. “Both anal and oral sex occurred.”
“Obviously, my client is a little bit disappointed,” Christian Libotte, Turpin’s lawyer, told reporters after the hearing. “We were hoping for a sentence between four and five years, but he certainly accepts his responsibility and the sentencing from the judge.”
“Whether or not my client was really remorseful, at the same time, we are talking about sexual abuse on a child which is obviously a very aggravating factor,” Libotte said. “(Turpin) is waiting to move forward and is going to try to rehabilitate as soon as possible.”
The judge said mitigating factors include guilty pleas, a first offence, the expression of remorse, medical and mental health, along with being a sexual assault victim himself.
A letter to the court from Turpin’s mother indicated he lives with Asperger’s Syndrome and had a difficult time making friends and developing meaningful relationships.
Aggravating factors, Judge Sweet said, included the seriousness of the offences, the age of the victim, who was 13 when he reported it, the fact that Turpin was a babysitter to the boy, the planning and manipulation, and threats.
Turpin has been in custody for 180 days including time-and-a-half credit, meaning he will remain in jail for approximately six-and-a-half years.
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