Two men who subjected a woman to a sordid gang rape after escorting her back to her hotel for her “safety” received prison sentences ranging from four and a half to six years. One of the attackers, John Jamesley Felix, even considers himself a “victim” in this case.
A young woman passing through Montreal to attend a friend’s birthday went through hell in May 2020. At the end of the evening, Kervin Legros offered to take her back to her hotel, since she had consumed too much alcohol. ‘alcohol. His friend John Jamesley Felix followed him with another vehicle.
“But rather than take care of her, they took advantage of her vulnerability and sexually assaulted her,” sums up judge Suzanne Costom
As soon as he enters the room, John Jamesley Felix pushes the victim onto a bed and begins to undress her. “Stop screaming, stop crying, otherwise we’ll kill you tonight,” said the man who received the most severe sentence.
His accomplice, Kervin Legros, then arrives and pushes a bottle of strong alcohol into the victim’s mouth. Group sexual assault is extremely violent. The judge also noted as an aggravating factor the “extreme” violation of the physical integrity of the victim, citing the multiple sexual acts performed.
“[The victim] stops screaming and thrashing. She submits to sexual acts so she can survive. She thought she was going to die. [The victim] loses consciousness, ”detailed the judge last summer, declaring them guilty. When he woke up, the victim had numerous bruises and pain in several orifices.
Since then, the victim has suffered from anxiety, headaches and sleep problems. She no longer trusts the men and is no longer able to return to Montreal for fear of meeting the accused or their relatives.
The judge retains as aggravating factors the fact that the defendants tried to conceal the crime by removing the sheets from the bed and bathing the victim. In addition, they abandoned her, naked and passed out on the bed, knowing that she risked choking on her vomit, underlines the judge.
Despite these damning facts, John Jamesley Felix considers himself a victim of the media and the justice system. In his pre-sentence report, he maintains that the victim had consented to the sexual acts. Then, in court, he nuanced by blaming it on his intoxication.
The 31-year-old Montrealer presents “very few mitigating factors and no real signs of rehabilitation”, concludes the judge. This is why it imposes a six-year prison sentence on him. The Crown was asking for seven years, while the defense was asking for a home jail sentence.
His accomplice, Kervin Legros, has several mitigating factors and a “lower” risk of recidivism. The 28-year-old accepts full responsibility for his crime, displays sincere remorse and calls his behavior “despicable”. He is followed by a sexologist and has good potential for reintegration. These elements justify a sentence of four and a half years in prison, according to the judge.
Me Pierre-Olivier Bolduc represented the public ministry. Me Vicky Powell defended Mr. Felix, while Me Nadia Jamieson defended Mr. Legros.
