A local man with an “absolute horrendous record for sexual violence” was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in the pen for his latest attacks on a woman.
Calling Karl Crack's behaviour appalling, "absolutely dehumanizing" and "unacceptable in any civilized society," a judge said the 59-year-old must be incarcerated to protect the community.
"You treated her like property to be used and abused at your will," Ontario Court Justice John Condon told him.
"You confined her against her will, physically and sexually abused her," causing her anguish and trauma, he said.
"She'll probably suffer the rest of her life."
In addition to the confinement and abuse, "you even went so far as to record some of your behaviour."
Crack pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and assault.
The offences occurred between March 2020 and December of last year.
A publication ban prohibits reporting information that identifies the victim.
The woman told police she is terrified of Crack and that he assaulted her numerous times, often attacking her with a tire iron or a metal baseball bat.
Crack would force her to have sex with him, handcuffing and shackling her, keeping her in a bed for hours, prosecutor Marie-Eve Talbot said.
As well, he would prevent her from leaving by securing the doors with screws, and took photographs of her.
Defence lawyer Eric McCooeye said this wasn't a hostage situation, and the complainant could come and go as she pleased.
There were times when the complainant was confined, but she "wasn't kept hostage for years," he told the court. "She was seen out and about."
The Crown and defence jointly recommended the eight-year prison term, which McCooeye called "a very lengthy time in a penitentiary."
The resolution follows six months of negotiations between senior Crowns and the defence, he said.
Agreeing that “a serious custodial sentence is required," he said his client will spend most of the rest of his life behind bars.
Crack "understands the gravity of what he's facing" and that it's a very significant, punitive sentence, the defence told Condon.
Nothing can be done from a rehabilitation perspective except what Crack wants to do, he said.
Talbot described the accused as "a dangerous sexual offender" who needs to be incarcerated for a long time.
"It''s the worst record of sexual violence I've seen," the assistant Crown attorney told Condon. "He needs to be incarcerated for a long time."
She said his criminal record includes a conviction for sexual assault with a weapon and seven counts of sexual assault.
The victim suffered two years of violence and confinement and "felt like she was kidnapped," Talbot said.
She fears not only for her safety, but also her children's.
Crack told the court he'd like to say he's sorry.
"I apologize that she thought she was kidnapped or something. I still love her and don't know what else to say except I'm sorry."
This "tells me you have little insight into the horrendous effect you have had on her," Condon told him.
Nothing in your actions equates in any rational way to love, the judge said.
The victim "managed to escape this hell on earth you put her through for two years" because of her strength and the strength of her mother, who contacted police, the judge said.
This is not the first time Crack has received a penitentiary term.
In 1987, he was sentenced to three and half years for sexual assault with a weapon.
He also served time in provincial jails for sex offences in 1995, 2004 and 2007.
When he imposed the eight-year prison term, Condon gave him credit for 314 days of pre-sentence custody.
Crack faces just over seven years behind bars in a federal penitentiary.
Condon imposed a 20-year Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA) order and a life-time weapons prohibition.
He also ordered forfeiture of the tire iron, handcuffs, shackles, a home-made taser and any photos of the woman.
In July 2012, a Sault Ste. Marie judge placed the convicted sex offender on a two-year court order designed to restrict his freedom.
It was the second recognizance a court had imposed since his release from prison after serving 65 months for sex offences involving girls.
This step was taken on his release because penitentiary officials deemed the untreated sex offender a high risk to commit another assault.