A Sudbury man now has a criminal record after he admitted to continually harassing his ex-girlfriend in order to gain access to their young child.
Michel Parent, 34, pleaded guilty to criminal harassment Wednesday. Parent, who has no previous criminal record, was sentenced to 18 months of probation and ordered not to have any contact with his ex-girlfriend or the child unless accompanied by his lawyer.
He was also ordered to accept any counselling as might be recommended by his probation officer and was prohibited, as is mandatory under Canadian law for anyone convicted of criminal harassment, from owning or possessing any firearm or prohibited weapon for 10 years.
Assistant Crown attorney Karen Lische told the court that between late April 2000 and February 2001, Parent repeatedly contacted his former girlfriend and she became afraid of him. Parent would drive by her residence repeatedly, would show up uninvited at her home and would call her on the telephone many times during the day.
Defence counsel Glenn Sandberg said his client only resorted to harassing behaviour when his former girlfriend continually denied him access to see their child.
His client is completing an apprenticeship program and he?s now in a relationship with another woman who is expecting a child, said Sandberg.
