A 51-year-old man visiting Canada to meet his newborn granddaughter has been convicted of harassing two teen girls outside a Sarnia high school. Jagjit Singh, who arrived from India in July on a temporary visa, now faces deportation after the court found he repeatedly approached the girls and tried to take photos with them during several visits to the school grounds.
Between Sept. 8 and Sept. 11, Singh went to a smoking area outside the high school and approached girls several times. He tried to communicate with them through gestures and attempted to take photos with them.
One girl agreed to a photo after refusing several times because she hoped he would leave. Instead, Singh sat between two girls, leaned toward them, and gestured for another picture. After a second photo, he placed his arm around one of the girls. She pushed him away and left the area.
Justice Krista Lynn Leszczynski told Singh he had no reason to be on the school’s property. She said the behaviour raised safety concerns and would not be tolerated.
Police arrested Singh on Sept. 16 and charged him with sexual interference and sexual assault. He received bail shortly after the arrest. Officers arrested him again when a new complaint surfaced from the same day. He received bail again but stayed an extra night in custody because no interpreter was available.
His lawyer, Terry Brandon, said Singh found his time in custody traumatic.
On Wednesday, Singh pleaded guilty to criminal harassment with the help of an interpreter. The Crown and defence asked for a sentence equal to the nine days he already spent in custody, followed by three years of probation. The judge agreed, noting his upcoming deportation and ban from returning.
Canada Border Services Agency officers were in the courtroom to take custody of Singh after the hearing. He held a ticket to return to India on Dec. 30 but is now seeking an earlier flight.
Both girls provided written statements. One said the experience took away her sense of safety. She said she now feels intimidated around older men and men of Singh’s ethnicity. She wrote that she felt betrayed because he arrived in Canada as a newcomer.
The second girl said her mental health has worsened. She avoids public places and no longer feels safe.
Brandon said Singh understands the effect of his behaviour.
The probation order blocks Singh from contacting the girls or going near their homes, workplaces, or school. He is barred from being near anyone under 16 except his newborn granddaughter. He must stay at least 100 metres away from schools, parks, playgrounds, community centres, and pools.
