A Kelowna man convicted on four counts of assaulting his ex-wife was sentenced to 33 months in jail.
James Rektor was convicted in December and sentenced late last month in BC Supreme Court.
Rektor鈥檚 lawyers argued their client had no criminal record and has reportedly been a model parent with a new partner, but Justice Jasvinder Basran found his crimes were too severe to go unpunished.
Rektor may not have a criminal record, but 鈥淢r.聽Rektor assaulted Ms.聽Connaghan five times over three and a half years (2016-19). This is a pattern of behaviour, not an isolated incident,鈥 the judge wrote in his decision.
Rektor鈥檚 ex-wife, Christina Rektor鈥慍onnaghan, who is named in the written judgment, described living with post-traumatic stress disorder and constant fear that she will never feel safe. In particular, the judge cited choking, and an assault taking place in front of couple鈥檚 young daughter as deserving of a stiff sentence.
Prosecutors asked for 42 months in jail. The defence asked for a conditional sentence and probation.
鈥淭he defence asserts that the collateral consequences of incarceration are a significant consideration because Mr.聽Rektor is the sole breadwinner for his young family of four,鈥 the judge noted.
Rektor received letters of support from his employer, current wife, mother, two friends, and a 鈥渨orking associate.鈥
In addition to kicking, choking and punching her, Rektor also warned Rektor-Connaghan not to contact police because his parents were dispatchers and no one would believe her.
鈥淗e also threatened to prevent her from seeing their children. Notably, Mr.聽Rektor followed through on this threat by fabricating a narrative that resulted in Ms.聽Connaghan being unable to see her children for approximately six months,鈥 Basran wrote.
The judge said spousal violence must be severely punished.
鈥淚n the circumstances of this case, I am not convinced that a sentence in the community, let alone a conditional discharge, is in the public interest and will accomplish the objectives of denunciation and deterrence of intimate partner violence. This conduct must be clearly and unequivocally condemned with a period of incarceration.
鈥淗is incarceration will create additional burdens for the family members he leaves behind. This is regrettable, but I must not let these consequences overwhelm the sentencing principles of deterrence and denunciation, particularly in the circumstances of five violent occurrences over a three鈥慳nd鈥慳鈥慼alf鈥憏ear period.鈥
The judge noted Rektor expressed remorse, apologized to Rektor-Connaghan and signed up for counselling, but hadn鈥檛 attended any counselling sessions yet.
A pre-sentence report said Rektor claimed he has always been able to manage his anger appropriately.
鈥淭his stands in stark contradiction to the findings I made in convicting him on four counts of assault,鈥 Basran wrote.
