A Kitchener woman cried in court Monday as she read out a letter to the seven-year-old girl she committed sexual offences against.
Monday was the sentencing hearing for Sonya Lucas, one of three people convicted in connection with attacks on the girl – whose availability for sexual purposes had been advertised online.
Court has heard that Lucas accompanied the men at the girl’s home in Hamilton on one occasion, while working as an escort and being paid $100 for making the trip from Kitchener, and took video of the men assaulting the girl.
She pleaded guilty in June to invitation to sexual touching, making child pornography and possessing child pornography.
At the sentencing hearing, court heard from the girl’s aunt, who talked about how she feels she failed her niece and is left with feelings of “guilt, shame, anger, sadness and loss” as a result.
“My niece has been robbed of her innocence,” she said.
“It is beyond me how someone would want to have sex with a seven-year-old child.”
Lucas also spoke, reading from a handwritten letter addressed to the judge.
“I would like to tell (the girl) how truly sorry I am for the part I played in sexually abusing her,” she said.
“I deeply regret not doing something to help her instead.”
The Crown is seeking a sentence of eight to 10 years in prison for Lucas. Her lawyer, Hal Mattson, says he’ll be arguing for a shorter prison sentence.
“They want to paint her to be someone like Karla Homolka, and I’m suggesting that’s not what we’re dealing with here,” he said outside court.
Sentencing is expected to take place Dec. 21. Rui DaSilva, the Waterloo man who drove Lucas to Hamilton and sexually assaulted the girl, has already received an eight-year sentence.
With reporting by Nicole Lampa
