‘This torments my daughter everyday:’ Nanaimo man sentenced 3 years in federal jail

Court heard back in March, 2018 after befriending the victim’s mother Houting took her nine-year-old daughter along with his children to the Beban Park Pool. Houting had brought a bikini he insisted the young girl wear and helped her change into it.

Houting then rubbed the little girl’s genitals with the bikini bottom and a cream.

The mother of the now 12-year-old girl told the court her daughter is forever traumatized by Houting’s actions.

“This has tormented my daughter every day. She suffers from extreme anxiety. She has night terrors. She’s afraid to go outside because she thinks she might see him.”

She said her daughter was outgoing, funny and beloved by everyone before Houting took them to the pool that day.

“I don’t know how I’m going to help her to be able to trust people again,” the mother tearfully said. “I don’t know if she’ll find happiness. My daughter has so much fear and I can’t take it away.”

The incident sparked a police investigation which led to the discovery of nearly 13,000 child porn images on several of Houting’s devices.

The disturbing material included young girls being sexually abused.

Court was told while pictures taken by Houting of the nine-year-old girl didn’t meet the threshold of child pornography, they did show his fascination with young girls.

During a short address to the court, an apologetic Houting said he’s remorseful.

“I’m not proud of what I’ve done. I’ve made mistakes. I don’t know what else to say,” a barely audible Houting said.

Crown prosecutors had sought at least four years in prison, while Houting’s defense argued for two years to be served in a provincial jail.

Houting, a longtime landscaper in Nanaimo, had no prior criminal record.

He was not held in custody prior to sentencing.

His earlier guilty pleas cancelled a trial originally scheduled in 2020.

Summaries of pre sentence and psychological reports were outlined for the court. A forensic examination of Houting pegged him as a moderate risk of further similar offences.

Houting presented as being depressed, anxious and displayed feelings of guilt to a psychologist. The offender also expressed feelings of pessimism regarding going to jail and his future income potential.

Defence counsel Peter Hertzberg said his client has been vilified in the community, stating he lost his job when news broke of the charges he pleaded guilty to.

“This man’s self-worth is at an all-time low, he’s got nobody left. He can’t see his kids, he may never see his children again,” Hertzberg said.

Judge Ron Lamperson took aim at the egregious breach of trust and predatory behaviour Houting showed.

“You can’t change what you’ve done, you can’t change that clock back, but you from this day forward are in full control of your future actions,” Lamperson said.

Several restrictive post-release orders were applied against Houting, including appearing on the National Sex Offender Registry for 20 years. A sample of his DNA was ordered, along with a mandatory 10-year firearms ban applied against him.

Houting was also hit with sweeping restrictive prohibitions for a decade following his release.

He was ordered to not have contact with people under the age of 16 during that time, including staying away from public recreation facilities and schools.

Houting can’t hold a paid or volunteer position where he’s considered to be in a position of trust or authority over a person under the age of 16.

The offender must also abide by heavily restricted internet usage conditions for 10 years following his release and was ordered to forfeit several devices obtained by police during their investigation.

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by NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

‘This torments my daughter everyday:’ Nanaimo man sentenced 3 years in federal jail

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