A 27-year-old has pleaded guilty to breaking into a home and sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Orillia last year.
Brian Lancaster entered his plea on Wednesday morning in an Orillia court. According to the agreed statement of facts, it happened on Oct. 1, 2014.
The statement says the teen came home from school and was alone in her bedroom when Lancaster broke in, pushed her to the floor and sexually assaulted her.
The court also heard Lancaster repeatedly threatened to kill the teen if she tried to get away and told anyone.
Through DNA evidence, investigators were able to link the assault to Lancaster, who was a known offender on the national DNA databank and was arrested nearly a month later.
At one point on Wednesday, the Crown played a recorded impact statement from the victim who described the trauma she continues to suffer since the assault and how it has forever changed her life.
“I rarely, if ever feel safe," the teen said. "The assault completely stripped me of my innocence, my trust in other people and my own identity."
The teen also said she consistently has flashbacks and that "since it happened, I've been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression."
Defence lawyer Gary Eadie told the court, Lancaster broke into the house with the intention of stealing property and that the sexual assault was not planned.
Eadie also said at the time of the assault, Lancaster was under the influence of alcohol and had been using cocaine.
The maximum sentence is life in jail and lawyers will make their submissions at a sentencing hearing in November.
