Man sentenced to 15.5 years for kidnapping, sexually assaulting Edmonton girl
GRAPHIC WARNING: This article contains details readers may find disturbing.
Wade Stene, who admitted to kidnapping and sexually assaulting an eight-year-old Edmonton girl, was sentenced to 15.5 years behind bars Wednesday afternoon.
Justice Susan Richardson handed down the sentence after a two-day sentencing hearing.
Stene's sentence has around 12 years left after the judge gave him a credit of 1,313 days for time served.
Stene pleaded guilty earlier this year to pulling the young girl inside his vehicle and sexually assaulting her before dropping her back off in March 2020.
The girl cannot be named due to a publication ban protecting her identity.
Stene’s lawyer, Mark Jordan, had asked for a 10-year prison sentence, while Crown prosecutors, Keith Nicholls and Ioana Corabian, asked the judge for a 20-year sentence.
Jordan argued his sentencing recommendation was fair because Stene had a troubled past, no previous criminal record and was subject to emotional trauma from protests outside his home while he was released on bail in the victim’s neighbourhood in June 2020.
The Crown urged the judge to not consider those factors, in part because Stene’s actions were so severe that his release significantly impacted the community and the outrage that led to protests outside his home were “justified and predictable.”
The Crown also argued that the attack on the child was premeditated, noting Stene essentially had a “rape kit” on hand, pointing out how he was wearing a mask, had duct tape with him and had his seat down and covered with a blanket.
On Wednesday, the judge said Stene's crime was "planned, predatory and brazen."
"Of course he intended this to happen. He did this," Justice Richardson said.
"His sexual assault only stopped after his sexual gratification was complete."
In a statement to CTV News, the victim's family said, in part:
"It was difficult to hear the end result of the sentence that was handed down. No sentence would have satisfied us, no amount of time will fully heal the harm that has been inflicted."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Five areas Canada's foreign interference commissioner says needs more investigation
Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue released her interim report examining foreign election interference on Friday. Here are five elements of the issue that Hogue says she needs to further probe before she can make conclusions or recommendations.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.
New weight-loss drug Wegovy not a 'magic bullet,' doctor warns
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.