Editor's note: This story contains details that some readers may find disturbing.

The Nunavut Court of Justice has handed down a 12-year sentence in a sexual abuse case involving a minor.

Robert Sheaves will serve 4,308 days in prison after his 48 days in custody was accounted for, justice Paul Bychok decided in Iqaluit on Nov. 12.

SA国际影视传媒淥ld habits, they say, die hard,SA国际影视传媒� wrote Bychok in the opening of his sentencing judgment. SA国际影视传媒淪o too, evidently, do old habits of thought. In 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada... issued a landmark unanimous decision directing courts to modernize its approach to sentencing offenders who sexually abuse children. Despite the Supreme CourtSA国际影视传媒檚 declared SA国际影视传媒榙eterminationSA国际影视传媒� to see jail sentences increase in appropriate cases for these heinous crimes, lower sentencing courts have been slow to follow this clear binding direction.

SA国际影视传媒淭his reality can also be seen in the... Nunavut Court of Justice... Crown sentencing recommendations have contributed to this courtSA国际影视传媒檚 sentences being generally outside of the Supreme CourtSA国际影视传媒檚 clear directive," Bychok continued. "With good reason did Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada recently declare: SA国际影视传媒楾he system of courts and policing is failing too many of us.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�

In October, Sheaves, 67, was found guilty of four counts of sexual assault of a minor who had been in his home on many occasions, and he had given the victim rides around town. Sheaves was convicted largely based on damning descriptions from the victim, who was able to provide details about his genitalia. His own inconsistencies in testimony also harmed his credibility, Bychok found. The judge deemed the offender SA国际影视传媒渁 coarse and combative witness.SA国际影视传媒�

Bychok said only one mitigating factor in the defendantSA国际影视传媒檚 favour was taken into consideration: the fact that he had no prior record. The judge also recommended that Sheaves serve his sentence in Iqaluit, although that is beyond BychokSA国际影视传媒檚 purview.

SA国际影视传媒淕endered sexual violence in Nunavut constitutes an unrelenting plague,SA国际影视传媒� Bychok stated. SA国际影视传媒淧auktuutit recently described the rate of gendered violence against Inuit women and girls as a SA国际影视传媒榩roblem of massive proportions.SA国际影视传媒� The sentences imposed on offenders by judges of this court must reflect this reality in a meaningful and realistic way.SA国际影视传媒�