A man received a suspended sentence of two years less one day in a historic case of Indecent Assault in the Alberta Court of Justice in Drumheller on Friday, May 23.
The man, who cannot be identified, entered a guilty plea to one charge of indecent assault from an incident stemming from 1974.
The court heard how the man, who was 22 years of age at the time, had had intercourse with the victim, who was 13 years old at the time of the assault.
Defensive counsel explained during proceedings that the incident and charges predate the Criminal Code of Sexual Assault and, at the time, Indecent Assault was defined in the Canadian Criminal Code as any person who “indecently assaults a female person” and who is “liable to imprisonment for five years, and to be whipped.”
Although the charges are from an incident more than 50 years prior, the man expressed remorse, embarrassment, and shame at his actions, immediately accepting responsibility and instructing defensive counsel to engage in resolution discussions. He also expressed that he did not wish to make the victim stand trial.
The victim, likewise, expressed that they did not wish to see the accused face time in jail.
Crown and counsel entered a joint submission for the suspended sentence for a period of two years less one day. For the first six months of the sentence, the man will be required to abide by a 24-hour curfew, with a revised curfew of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the remainder of the sentence thereafter.

While the Village of Delia has overwhelmingly voted to remain a village after a Viability Review was completed, now the hard work begins.
On April 23, 92 percent of the eligible voters in Delia voted to remain a village. Harold Johnsrude was appointed official administrator by Alberta Municipal Affairs in July of 2024 to provide oversight of the village and administration during the review, and will continue on until the end of June. He sent a letter to Delia residents.
“The 92% vote to continue has been encouraging to the Village Council. But there is the concern that the community attitude will be 'Now that's over, we are fine!',” he stated in his correspondence.
During this review and the weeks after, a lot of progress has been made, and council has been able to meet three times to begin addressing some of the challenges.
At the May 20 Council Meeting, council made a number of decisions that will help to move forward. These include approving the terms of reference for a standing Strategic Planning Committee, approving Council meetings to be held at the Drop-In Centre effective June 2025, appointing MPE Engineering to be the Village engineering firm and authorizing MPE to begin designing a project to replace the sanitary trunk line from 1st Ave to the lagoon, and approving first reading of an amended Council and Committee Procedural Bylaw.
A public meeting has been scheduled on Tuesday, June 10 at the Delia Drop-in Centre
“Council hopes to hear your comments to the following questions: What is important to you as a Village resident? What do I, as a Village resident, need to do to retain Village viability? And what suggestions do you have for Village Council?” states his letter.
The meeting is at 7 p.m.