“You should have been charged with murder because you killed a part of me.”
A victim impact statement read aloud in the Barrie courtroom on Friday shows the deep emotional scars left behind by years of sexual assault.
“You are the monster who visits me in my dreams," the victim's statement reads.
The monster she is referring to is none other than a retired OPP officer.
James Hewitt, now 73-years-old, sat listening as the court heard he forced intercourse on the victim, whose identity is protected.
The first assault took place in 2009 when she was just 12 years old and continued until 2016.
During a portion of that time, Hewitt was still an Ontario Provincial Police constable. He retired in 2010.
The Crown asked for a sentence of seven to eight years behind bars, while the defence argued that it should be much shorter given his age and the 42 years he spent with the force.
The defence also said that, outside of this incident, Hewitt had been a contributing member of society, blaming his behaviour on his job, the death of his work partner, and other traumatic experiences.
Hewitt’s lawyer also said his life might be in danger in prison because he was a police officer.
In the end, the judge sentenced Hewitt to six years.
For his victim, every day is a struggle.
“I still look over my shoulder to see if he’s following me, or hunting me down.”
The OPP released a statement today saying it respects the decision of the court and that public trust is the cornerstone of the police service.
