OTTAWA — An Ottawa judge found a suspended RCMP counter-terrorism officer guilty on a raft of assault charges Monday after hearing how the accused chained up his 11-year-old son in the basement and tormented him with a barbeque lighter.
The 44-year-old man, who cannot be identified, was convicted of two counts of aggravated assault, sexual assault causing bodily harm, unlawful confinement, assault, failing to provide the necessaries of life and a range of firearms offences.
He was charged after his emaciated son was found by a neighbour.
The boy's stepmother was also found guilty of assault and failing to provide the necessaries of life. She faces a sentencing hearing on Dec. 2, but no such date was immediately set for the father
The two sat expressionless in the courtroom as the judgment was read. Justice Robert Maranger revoked bail for both after the verdict and they were led away in handcuffs.
"This was a very difficult trial," Maranger said, describing the abuse as "disturbing."
"That a parent would do the things that were done to (this boy) is gut-wrenching."
In his ruling, the judge said he didn't believe the father's argument that he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder at the time he inflicted the abuse.
The judge also commended the boy for being able to testify on his own behalf, despite the treatment to which he'd been subjected.
Some 11 members of the group Bikers Against Child Abuse sat in the courtroom as Maranger read a summary of his 70-page decision.
At one point, they were asked to remove their jackets out of concern that the two accused would feel intimidated.
