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October 4, 2002
Iqaluit child molester
gets house arrest
An Iqaluit man who pleaded
guilty to sexually assaulting two young girls, aged five and 10, will spend
16 months in house arrest as part of a two-year conditional sentence.
Arlooktoo Takoonagak, a
34-year-old City of Iqaluit employee, changed his plea from not guilty to guilty
on Sept. 30, avoiding the need for a trial.
Takoonagak sexually assaulted
the two girls at least four times each in 1999 and 2000.
Crown lawyer Judy Chan
said Takoonagak fondled the girls and penetrated them with his fingers. Afterwards,
Takoonagak instructed his victims not to tell their mother.
The assaults left the youths
angry, confused and fearful, Chan said.
"Theyll have
to live with his actions for the rest of their lives."
Chan and defence lawyer
John Thompson made a joint submission, requesting a conditional sentence of
two years less a day.
Takoonagak will spend 16
months of the sentence under house arrest in Iqaluit, allowing him to work during
the day.
Justice Earl Johnson said
Takoonagak committed a serious breach of trust.
"It must be a serious
blow to be abused by someone you trust," he said.
The complainants, now eight
and 12, relocated to London, Ontario, with their mother and older sister. The
family was not in court for the sentencing.
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