CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A Mount Stewart man who broke into three women’s homes and assaulted one of them in the street was sentenced recently to two years less a day in jail.
P.E.I. Supreme Court Justice Tracey Clements issued a decision on a sentence for Lance Everett Jarvis, 34, after he pleaded guilty to charges that included break and enter and committing assault.
In her written decision, Clements said a strong message needed to be sent to Jarvis and the court must balance the principles and objectives of sentencing.
“Unfortunately, arguably for both Jarvis, as well as others, it does not appear that he is receiving the message about what is and is not appropriate in our society,” she said.
Jarvis went to one of the victims’ home in October 2016 where he pushed his way past her to go inside.
He refused to leave and at one point pushed her down as she tried to get away from him.
Jarvis followed the woman outside where he assaulted her, including throwing her to the ground several times and dragging her by the shirt.
He later fled in his truck.
After the RCMP responded, they found Jarvis in a Stratford apartment he entered through a ground-floor patio door and belonged to a woman he knew.
That woman said she didn’t give Jarvis permission to be in her apartment.
Jarvis later called the assault victim to apologize despite an undertaking not to have any contact with her.
In an unrelated incident, Jarvis opened a different woman’s bedroom window in May and had his body half in her apartment where two people who were with the woman saw him.
Jarvis backed out and left before the RCMP arrived.
The three victims provided victim impact statements that described the effect Jarvis’s actions had on them.
That included the first victim who said she was scared and has since bought a baseball bat to feel more secure.
“I can’t sit in the living room anymore as I hear every noise and think it’s him,” she said.
Clements gave Jarvis credit of 235.5 days for time spent in custody while his case was before the courts.
Jarvis will be on probation for three years after his release, he must provide a DNA sample for the national databank and must pay $800 in victim surcharges.
