Marvin Ross Harker has been sentenced to five years behind bars after he was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault dating back decades.
Madam Justice Johnna Kubik rescinded a publication ban she had ordered at the beginning of the trial, now allowing him to be identified.
Harker was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault involving two girls and not guilty of charges relating to a third girl.
The assaults date back to the late 1980s when Harker would have been 18 years old, the victims between the ages of eight and 13.
The young girls didn’t come forward for more than 30 years.
At sentencing, court heard during all those years after the incidents, Harker lived a respectful and crime-free life, was a devoted husband and father and was a faithful member of his church and valued employee at his work.
An assessment done on Harker deemed him a low risk to re-offend, but Madam Justice Kubik did note the long-term and very significant effects his victims endure to this day.
The Crown was seeking five to seven years behind bars, the defence was looking for a sentence that would fall short of incarceration, like a suspended or conditional sentence.
Harker was sentenced to 24 months for one count and 36 months for the second, which will be served consecutively. He’ll also be registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life and it’s recommended he complete standardized treatment while in prison.
He starts serving his sentence immediately.