Canadian rapper Classified blasted a judge in Newfoundland and Labrador on social media for handing a St. John’s man a five-year sentence for brutally raping an 11-year-old girl and urged others on social media to speak out.
Classified, whose real name is Luke Boyd, took to Facebook Thursday to call out Justice William Goodridge and posted the judge’s email address saying that Goodridge “needs to be put on trial and explain himself,” calling the incident “sad, disturbing … and crazy.”
READ MORE: Newfoundland man sentenced to 5 years in prison for raping 11-year-old girl
The appeal came a day after the Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court justice sentenced Christopher Butt to five years in prison — the minimum sentence for the offence under the criminal code.
Butt, 41, pleaded guilty in June to one count of sexual assault and one count of uttering threats.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Butt lured the 11-year-old girl into his home and repeatedly sexually assaulted her in 2014 over a four-week period. He used physical force and threats to ensure co-operation saying he would “beat the living shit” out of her parents and burn their house down if she ever reported the crimes.
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The young girl’s injuries were said to be so severe she was unable to walk or wash herself for days after the attack, according to a medical examiner who testified in court.
Classified said he hopes people “raise as much fuss” about the issue as they do about the “dog law,” a reference to Montreal’s recently adopted bylaw banning pit bulls.
“I hope people raise as much a fuss about this guy who raped a young girl and got 5 years in jail … as they do about the dog law,” he wrote on Facebook. “I don’t agree with either of them … but come on … let’s not let this just go under the bus and go on with our lives.”
In his decision, Goodridge said that sexual assaults “attract a high degree of public abhorrence,” adding that there were mitigating factors in the sentencing such as Butt’s guilty plea, apology, participation in rehabilitation programs and commitment to continued counselling.
“There is also the reality that Mr. Butt’s childhood was marred by his own experiences as a victim of child sexual abuse,” Goodridge wrote, adding that Butt also suffers from bipolar disorder.
“This does not justify or excuse his criminal acts, but it does help in understanding possible contributing forces that are in play.”
Butt has been in custody since Aug. 1, 2014 and was credited with 1,194 days for time served and will spend another year and 38 weeks behind bars.
Global News attempted to reach Classified for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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