A 26-year-old man will be locked up for eight months with another four months of probation for repeatedly sexually assaulting a young boy he babysat nearly 15 years ago, a provincial court judge ruled last week.

The victim was just six years old in 2005 when the accused, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, began babysitting him multiple times a week for two years. The boy came forward with allegations of physical and sexual abuse from his former babysitter shortly before his 18th birthday in August 2017, according to the ruling by Judge Fatima Airth.

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The young boy was subjected to escalating sexual assault from his babysitter, the 12-year-old son of a family friend, over the course of two years which led to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and development of “massive trust issues” of men with authority over him. The boy, now 20, said in court the impact of the abuse is a “constant burden” he carries.

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The victim testified of the assault, “(He) would take me into the shower, because I was young and needed supervision. And it started with small things. He would touch me, and then eventually it became full-fledged rape.”

The babysitter would get into the shower with the victim, both naked, and would force oral and anal sex, according to the ruling.

Airth wrote that the boy reported feeling like “(he) cannot grow to (his) full potential as a human being because of the impact of this experience.”

The accused, who was also a youth at the time of the assaults, maintains his innocence despite being found guilty in March 2019. Airth said his denial of guilt displays a lack of remorse.

The defendant never finished high school, dropping out after Grade 8, and continues to be financially supported by his parents because he has not held a conventional job for more than a week but dedicates his time to becoming a video-game streamer.

His parents, with whom he lives, stood by his side throughout the trial, according to the trial judge.

“I find, however, the (defendant) has not used his adult life to make any positive contribution to a career or to the community,” wrote Airth.

Airth wrote the eight-month sentence is meant to “promote (his) rehabilitation and acknowledge the harm he has done.”