Christopher Duke sentenced to 5 years in prison for sexually assaulting 12-year-old girl in 2019

Christopher Duke has been sentenced to five years in prison for the sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl in Regina in July of 2019.

Sentencing was originally scheduled for Oct. 17, but Duke, 52, had been out of custody since the verdict.

On Oct. 17 both the Crown and the defence submitted sentencing recommendations, with the Crown asking for six years, and the defence three to four years.

On Monday morning, Duke looked onto the seat of the judge as he waited for sentencing, seemingly uninterested by the crowd behind him.

The room was full, with over 30 people in attendance.

Justice Graeme Mitchell first addressed Duke, asking him if he would like to make a statement to the court, to which Duke declined.

The judge read parts of the victim’s statement, where she stated that she had been having a tough time and is now scared to be alone with people, especially older men.

Then he re-read some of the mother’s statements who, like the 12-year-old girl, cannot be identified because of a publication ban.

In it she said she can’t sleep and lives in a constant fog and can barely focus. She added that this broke her heart and that her daughter had to grow up very quickly because of what happened to her.

She is also worried about the impacts to her son who has been admitted to the children’s hospital twice and is on anti-depressants and sleeping pills.

The victim’s brother told the court during victim impact statements that he walked in on Duke assaulting his sister.

“A child should never have to see his sister raped,” their mother said.

During the reading of the victim’s statement, and the mother’s, Duke stared blankly ahead, again showing no emotions.

The judge taking all of this into consideration decided upon a five year sentence with no remand.

However, Duke will be allowed to appeal his sentence.

He continues to stand by his not guilty plea, in spite of the evidence against him.

The victim's mother spoke to media outside the court house following the preceding’s.

“I don’t think five years is enough time but I don’t think any time would be enough… by any means.”

For her, and her children, they still carry the trauma with them everyday. Though Crown attorney, Leona Andrews said she thought the judge did the best of what he could, given the circumstances.

“I think the decision was very well reasoned and very thorough… and I’m happy with the decision,” said Andrews.

“As the judge said in his decision, sentencing are always very personal, very individualized and so, every sentencing decision has to take into account all of the factors both the circumstances of the offence and the circumstances of the offender, but we also have to follow case law.”

The judge added that Duke was unlikely to reoffend, and believed that he would be rehabilitated after serving time.

He also said the fact that Duke’s common-law partner, who has been with him since 2010, has stood by him through the entire trial, as has his boss, and these facts were taken into consideration when it comes to his rehabilitation.

Duke will be on the sex offenders list for 20 years, and must have no contact without a lawyer present with the victim.

While the fact that Duke could appeal for bail has the family disheartened, the mother added that at least the facts are in the open now.

“It does give closure on the fact that you know it’s out there now, everybody is aware and I honestly hope that if it happened to anyone else they would come forward as well.”