A Copper Cliff man who assaulted two young siblings four years ago was placed under house arrest for six months.
Clarence McLaughlin was also placed on probation for 18 months and ordered not to be in the presence of any child under age 16 unless accompanied by an adult.
Justice Louise Gauthier did allow McLaughlin, 58, to be alone with his own grandchildren, as there?s no indication he?s ever engaged in any other misconduct with the exception of the incidents in 1999.
Court heard McLaughlin took a brother and sister, aged 8 and 9, on separate bike rides in May 1999 to an isolated area in Copper Cliff.
During his brief trip with the girl, McLaughlin offered her a piece of gum and she refused, before
McLaughlin approached her, he a gave her a kiss.
During the kiss, he transferred a piece of gum he had in his mouth into hers. She told him she didn?t like what he was doing.
A short period later, McLaughlin took the girl?s brother for the same bike ride. When they reached the same area, he reached out at the boy?s private parts, but nothing else happened.
Both children kept what happened to themselves before confiding to an adult a few days later.
McLaughlin was arrested in early September of 2001. He pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of common assault.
Defence counsel Richard Huneault and assistant Crown attorney Julie Lefebvre presented a joint submission McLaughlin be placed under house arrest for six months to be followed by a probation
order for 18 months.
Huneault said his client has led an otherwise exemplary life having raised a family and worked at the same job for 33 years before recently retiring.
His client and his wife ?are very religious people?this has been a very difficult and embarassing time for him.?
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