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."