Vasilios “Billy” Georgopoulos was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison Friday after he was convicted of sexual assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, unlawful confinement and uttering death threats.
Georgopoulos was charged after a woman came forward following a horrific sexual assault on Oct. 5, 2017.
The victim was repeatedly sexually assaulted over the course of an afternoon and evening, beaten and at one time, Georgopoulos burned her arm with a lighter.
Court also heard Georgopoulos threatened her with a pocket knife and arranged for an associate of his to have her beaten up.
Justice Alan Macleod handed down a 8.5-year sentence, calling the case unusual and saying that what started as a consensual act turned into a “nightmare” for the victim.
The woman testified that she felt like she couldn’t breathe and that her life was in danger.
Georgopoulos will be credited 450 days for time spent in custody thus far, and the judge reduced the sentence by another 180 days after Georgopoulos said he was faced with a “terrifying” prison situation with inmates that were hostile towards those convicted of sexual assault.
The Crown was seeking a sentence between nine and 11 years while the defence argued for a sentence of six to eight years.