Skipp Anderson, the owner of Pink Lounge & Nightclub, was shackled, handcuffed and led out of court on Friday, despite his lawyer’s best efforts to have him released until sentencing.
Anderson’s been found guilty of sexual assault. The incident dates back to a night of drinking and hot tubbing with friends in July 2016. The victim, a 22-year-old man and close friend of Anderson’s at the time, passed out and testified when he came to, Anderson was penetrating him.
The verdict came down late Thursday night at Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench. The jury deliberated for nearly seven hours.
Court reconvened Friday for defense lawyer Brad Mitchell, Crown prosecutor Tamara Rock and Judge Ron Mills to discuss a date for sentencing submissions.
Instead, Rock arrived at court stating she was ready to move immediately to sentencing arguments. Meanwhile, Mitchell wanted Anderson to be released until sentencing to give him time to transfer his business over to his sister.
Mills disagreed saying “when people commit offences of a very serious nature, there are very serious consequences, and this is one of those.”
Ultimately, 40-year-old Anderson was taken away in handcuffs.
Jurors believed the Crown’s theory that the victim was too intoxicated to give consent at the time of the incident.
- Ontario man on trial for killing his mother takes the stand: ‘I lost it’
- Person tries to get into Drake’s Toronto property as shooting investigation continues
- Former NFL player on bail now wanted in Canada after GPS monitor ‘went offline’
- Man charged in surfer deaths told girlfriend he killed ‘3 gringos,’ court hears
“We had a very brave and strong complainant in this case,” said Rock outside court Thursday evening after the verdict.
“The pressure is extraordinary and the speculation that’s put on that person’s actions is profound.”
That’s a large reason why many victims of sexual violence don’t lay charges, according to Faye Davis with the Sexual Assault and Information Centre.
“We say, you shouldn’t have been that drunk or you shouldn’t have let yourself get that vulnerable. That makes absolutely no sense.”
Davis said a guilty verdict in a sexual assault case regarding consent, opens the doors for much needed conversations.
“If someone was unconscious because they fainted for a medical reason and someone touched them sexually, I don’t think we’d ever be confused about the fact that that person wasn’t consenting,” Davis said.
Mitchell has not ruled out an appeal and said “disappointed” is an understatement for what Anderson is feeling.
Jail time for a crime of this nature begins at three years.
“These issues are front and center and definitely being considered by society at large,” said Mitchell in regards to consent. “I can only speculate as to what was going through the jury’s minds.”
Sentencing submissions will take place on March 8.
Comments