An Espanola man is going to serve a prison term of 17 years for his part in sex-related and luring offences over several years.
45-year-old Paul McColeman was sentenced Tuesday in a Sudbury court.
He was originally found guilty on 34-sex-related and luring charges and is labelled a Long-Term Offender.
The Crown was seeking a 20-year jail sentence.
Update:
The case involved over a dozen adolescent boys, who were offered drugs and alcohol in exchange for sex acts. A publication ban protects their identities.
Robert Beckett was McColeman’s defence attorney.
“It was high-profile in terms of the number of victims, the actions, and the ultimate penalty is one of the higher ones I have seen in this jurisdiction.” said Beckett.
In a court ordered- assessment, a psychiatrist concluded McColeman does not suffer from any psychiatric disorders, continues to maintain his innocence, and blames others for his circumstance.
"In fact that was a feature throughout the sentencing, what the judge deemed to be a lack of remorse on his part by continuing to insist he was not guilty of these matters. I understand that arrangements have been made to see if this matter can be reviewed." said Beckett.
In a victim impact statement, one young man says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, and has an alcohol addiction to try to forget what happened.
Another victim says he lives with shame and fear every day.
McColeman was designated a Long-Term Offender, which means he will be supervised by the Correctional Service of Canada for ten years after his release from prison.
