A Sudbury man with a history of child sex abuse is appealing his conviction

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A man with a history of child sexual abuse — including attempting to kidnap a teenager as she walked to school in New Sudbury — is appealing his conviction.

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Michel Albert, who has always maintained his innocence and claimed to be the victim of a conspiracy, is representing himself in the appeals.

As a result, Albert’s dangerous offender hearing, which was scheduled for November 4, will be postponed.

Lawyer Denis Michel, who is representing Albert at the dangerous offender hearing, told the Sudbury court the delay was necessary because of the appeals his client has initiated.

Michel said a date for the dangerous offender hearing could be set for November 27, when the case returns to court.

Ontario Court of Justice Judge Andrew Buttazzoni last year found Albert guilty of assault causing bodily harm and forcible confinement after he tried to kidnap a girl on Paquette Street in April 2019.

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The girl was walking to school when Albert tried to drag her to his Paquette Street apartment, Judge Buttazzoni ruled. Passersby who heard the girl screaming intervened to save her.

The victim suffered a sore cheek and ear, scratches on her back and bruises on her face, lips and knee.

Albert tried to argue that he should not be found criminally responsible because he suffered from a mental disorder that prevented him from appreciating his actions. Michel said his client could not remember the events of that day.

However, that argument was rejected.

Judge Buttazzoni also found Albert guilty of two counts of assaulting police officers and resisting arrest.

Greater Sudbury police officers struggled to arrest Albert at his apartment after the foiled kidnapping. Albert tried to argue that those charges should be dropped because the police used excessive force, but Buttazzoni also rejected that constitutional argument.

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Albert’s sentencing was stayed because the Crown wants a hearing to declare him a dangerous offender. The designation is reserved for Canada’s most violent criminals and sexual predators. Crown attorneys can request the designation during sentencing and must demonstrate that there is a high risk that the criminal will commit violent or sexual crimes.

Judge Buttazzoni noted that the female victim knew Albert before he attacked her. “She was fighting for her life,” the judge said. “Her face came incredibly close to the suspect. She recognized him as the same person she had seen five times before.

“Although she did not know his name, she recognized him as one of five people who lived at 1200 Paquette St. I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that it was Mr Albert who attacked (the teenager) on April 4, 2019. , while she was on her way to school.”

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It was also determined that the genetic material recovered from the teen’s fingernails, the judge added, came from Albert.

Buttazzoni also noted that Albert might have succeeded in dragging the teen to his nearby apartment had it not been for the “accidental good involvement of Good Samaritans” who came to the teen’s aid during the attack.

Albert’s arrest on April 4, 2019 led to a series of other charges. As a result, he is:

– sentenced to five years for having oral sex with a six- or seven-year-old girl he knew while she slept more than a decade ago;

– sentenced to 2.5 years for possession of child pornography. The material was discovered on a computer in Albert’s home when police investigated the kidnapping attempt;

– sentenced to four months’ imprisonment for committing an indecent act more than ten years ago when he exposed himself to a teenage boy; And

– imposed on probation for 18 months for sexually abusing a child 30 years ago.

[email protected]
X: @HaroldCarmichae

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