Sohil Bindra showed little emotion Monday, as he was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Lethbridge judge after he drugged and sexually assaulted three women between 2018 and 2020.
The 36-year-old has been in custody since Mar. 5, 2020 and was convicted on several charges in May 2022.
The first incident happened in a vehicle outside a nightclub in 2018. Another played out at Bindra’s home after a Christmas party that same year. The third incident took place in the victim’s home in 2020, after he dropped the woman off and later returned to break into her home to commit the assault.
For almost an hour Monday morning, Judge Jerry LaGrandeur delivered his decision inside a Lethbridge courtroom, where both Bindra and his father were present.
Two of the victims listened in remotely, while another was seated across the courtroom from Bindra. Their identities cannot be revealed due to a publication ban.
Bindra’s sentence breaks down to three years each for two of the sexual assaults, plus six years for the sexual assault involving the break and enter.
Those will be served consecutively, while 18 months for each of the first two drugging convictions, and 24 months for the third will be served concurrently with the sexual assault charges for a total of 12 years.
The judge found the druggings to be aggravating factors in the sexual assaults, but he also took into account Bindra’s “young age,” clean criminal record and family support.
Crown prosecutors had previously asked for an 18-year sentence, with the defence countering with nine years.
Bindra has been in custody for almost three years, and is being credited with time-served at a value of one-and-half-days per day spent behind bars thus far.
This means he now has 2,778 days left to serve behind bars — approximately seven years and seven months.
Bindra has two more trials scheduled for later this year, each involving one woman on charges that include sexual assault and choking with intent.
He also faces another charge of sexual assault involving a sixth woman, for an alleged incident in Aug. 2017. A trial has not been scheduled in that case.
The crown wouldn’t comment on the judge’s decision due to Bindra’s other matters before the court, but did commend the victims for their courage and strength during this lengthy process.
-With files from Erik Bay & Taz Dhaliwal, Global News