Jacob Edkins was sentenced to two years in jail for the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl in Parksville in 2017. (Facebook)

By Ian Holmes

Sex offender jailed

‘It’s time for you to realize you’re wrong:’ sex offender sentenced to 2 years in jail

May 14, 2019 | 8:13 AM

NANAIMO — A BC Supreme Court judge scolded a man before sending him to jail for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl along Parksville’s waterfront.

Jacob Edkins, 24 from Parksville, was sentenced to two years in jail followed by two years probation with numerous conditions.

Edkins was found guilty by Justice Robin Baird earlier this year following a five day trial for the assault against his then co-worker in January, 2017.

Court was told Edkins and the girl drank alcohol along Parksville’s waterfront for more than an hour after a night shift at the restaurant where they both worked.

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The victim testified Edkins climbed on top of her in a van as she told him to stop. She fled and called her roommate to pick her up.

The Honourable Justice Baird said the incident is not a case of Edkins being overly persistent and assuming consent.

“I found in this case that the signals transmitted to you were clear and unmistakable, and you carried on without any regard to those signals. What you wanted was more important than what she wanted.” _{Justice Baird}

Baird tore into Edkins for believing the victim didn’t interpret his advances as unwanted due to her lack of fighting back.

“Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!” Justice Baird said in a loud, booming tone.

Court was told the victim experiences some intellectual deficits but has managed to recover from the assault.

A presentence report outlined Edkins’ view of how he isn’t responsible for sexual assault but instead applied undo pressure on a woman.

The report said Edkins was mirroring his father’s pattern of aggressive and controlling behaviour toward women. His rough upbringing included seeing his mother emotionally and physically abused by his father.

Edkins has a history of depression and anxiety with few coping skills to deal with stress.

Justice Baird alluded to prior relationships in which Edkins forced sex on women.

A remorseful Edkins briefly addressed court.

“I acknowledge that I assaulted (the victim) and that I feel remorse for my actions and also that I acknowledge that I’ve taken steps post those events to correct those actions.”

Justice Baird said he didn’t believe Edkins is dishonest or a bad person, but rather is stricken with immaturity and a lack of guidance.

“I believe now that you are beginning to understand that you have to reconfigure the entire manner in which you think about relations with women.”

Justice Baird said Edkins comes across as an unsophisticated, friendly guy who is salvagable.

He said the sentencing range for Edkins crime is in the range of two to six years in prison, but believed the man wouldn’t be served well by a long sentence in a federal penitentiary.

Edkins’ girlfriend and his mother were both emotional sitting in the gallery behind him during the sentencing.

Edkins, who lives in Port Alberni, will serve two years less a day behind bars in a provincial facility to be determined by BC Corrections.

He had no prior criminal record.

His probation conditions include a psychiatric assessment and treatment programs specifically for sex offenders.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes