CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A repeat sex offender who breached several court orders, including one meant to keep him away from children, was sentenced recently to 10 months in jail.
James Patrick Doyle, 22, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Charlottetown by video from jail for sentencing on charges of breaching his probation, breaching an undertaking and two counts of breaching a release order.
Crown attorney Gerald Quinn told the court the recent offences included someone seeing Doyle at the Charlottetown Mall with a girl who was 15 years old.
At the time, Doyle was on an undertaking that included a condition he stay away from the Charlottetown Mall. He was also on probation with a condition that he have no contact with anyone younger than 18.
Quinn said Doyle later breached a condition that he not possess any device that can be used to access the internet. The court heard the police confirmed Doyle uploaded photos to an Instagram account and was claiming to be an amateur boudoir photographer.
Doyle has a prior record that includes a recent conviction for sexual assault that led to a one-year sentence.
He was also sentenced in 2017 to 90 days in jail for another sexual assault conviction.
In 2019, he was charged with sexual assault but pleaded guilty to common assault and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.
Defence lawyer Conor Mullin said Doyle’s actions during the latest offences show a significant lapse in judgment.
Orr said Doyle had to get himself to the mall to commit the offence.
“There was a little bit of planning and thought that went into the process,” she said.
Before hearing his sentence, Doyle addressed the court, saying he offered no excuses for the breaches and that he apologized.
“I never intended to cause harm,” he said.
The Crown and defence made a joint recommendation of four months in jail, which Orr rejected, saying she didn’t think the public would consider it an appropriate sentence if they were aware of all the details in the case.
Orr said the court doesn’t lightly disregard joint recommendations.
Denunciation, deterrence and the protection of the public were the main considerations in sentencing Doyle, Orr said.
Ryan Ross is the justice reporter for The Guardian.
