Alberta
Crown seeking a 22 1/2-year sentence in appeal of Edmonton sexual assault case
By Angela Amato in Edmonton
A Crown prosecutor says a former club promoter who was convicted of sexually assaulting five women over six years should receive an additional 15 years to his sentence because he planned his attacks.
Matthew McKnight, who is 2 1/2 years into his eight-year sentence, was convicted in 2020 for the assaults that happened in Edmonton between 2010 and 2016.
Crown prosecutor Matthew Griener told the Court of Appeal that McKnight should receive 22 1/2 years because he was premeditative in offering women free alcohol at the bars where he was working before he took them home and assaulted them.
“It’s not a case about casual sex,” Griener told the court Tuesday. “It’s a case about serial rape.”
Griener argued that McKnight’s sentence should be longer because the assaults happened on different days with different women and should be recognized as separate sentences to be served consecutively.
“Each one was an isolated offence, not a spree,” Griener said.
McKnight’s lawyer, Peter Sankoff, told the court that his client accepts the blame for the assaults and has been taking sexual wellness classes. He added that the progress McKnight has made in prison should be taken into consideration.
Sankoff also argued that while McKnight did give the women alcohol, the assaults were not premeditated. The lawyer said two of the assaults met the criteria for being planned.
In January, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed a defence appeal for a new trial for McKnight. In that appeal, Sankoff argued the Crown used sarcasm and inflammatory language during cross-examination during the trial.
McKnight was an event promoter for Urban Sparq Hospitality and worked at several bars and clubs across the city.
Court heard that he offered alcohol to the victims, who were between the ages of 18 and 22, then assaulted them at his downtown apartment.
Griener said the women testified that when they regained consciousness, they didn’t know where they were and had no memory of how they got there. No evidence of drugging or drug use was found by the court.
“They were made vulnerable by the perpetrator,” Griener said.
The court said it would make a written decision at a later date.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2023.
Show your Alberta side. Buy Local. |
When the going gets tough, Albertans stick together. That’s why Alberta’s government is launching a new campaign to benefit hard-working Albertans.
Global uncertainty is threatening the livelihoods of hard-working Alberta farmers, ranchers, processors and their families. The ‘Buy Local’ campaign, recently launched by Alberta’s government, encourages consumers to eat, drink and buy local to show our unified support for the province’s agriculture and food industry.
The government’s ‘Buy Local’ campaign encourages consumers to buy products from Alberta’s hard-working farmers, ranchers and food processors that produce safe, nutritious food for Albertans, Canadians and the world.
“It’s time to let these hard-working Albertans know we have their back. Now, more than ever, we need to shop local and buy made-in-Alberta products. The next time you are grocery shopping or go out for dinner or a drink with your friends or family, support local to demonstrate your Alberta pride. We are pleased tariffs don’t impact the ag industry right now and will keep advocating for our ag industry.”
Alberta’s government supports consumer choice. We are providing tools to help folks easily identify Alberta- and Canadian-made foods and products. Choosing local products keeps Albertans’ hard-earned dollars in our province. Whether it is farm-fresh vegetables, potatoes, honey, craft beer, frozen food or our world-renowned beef, Alberta has an abundance of fresh foods produced right on our doorstep.
Quick facts
- This summer, Albertans can support local at more than 150 farmers’ markets across the province and meet the folks who make, bake and grow our food.
- In March 2023, the Alberta government launched the ‘Made in Alberta’ voluntary food and beverage labelling program to support local agriculture and food sectors.
- Through direct connections with processors, the program has created the momentum to continue expanding consumer awareness about the ‘Made in Alberta’ label to help shoppers quickly identify foods and beverages produced in our province.
- Made in Alberta product catalogue website
Related information
Alberta
Province to expand services provided by Alberta Sheriffs: New policing option for municipalities
Expanding municipal police service options |
Proposed amendments would help ensure Alberta’s evolving public safety needs are met while also giving municipalities more options for local policing.
As first announced with the introduction of the Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, Alberta’s government is considering creating a new independent agency police service to assume the police-like duties currently performed by Alberta Sheriffs. If passed, Bill 49 would lay additional groundwork for the new police service.
Proposed amendments to the Police Act recognize the unique challenges faced by different communities and seek to empower local governments to adopt strategies that effectively respond to their specific safety concerns, enhancing overall public safety across the province.
If passed, Bill 49 would specify that the new agency would be a Crown corporation with an independent board of directors to oversee its day-to-day operations. The new agency would be operationally independent from the government, consistent with all police services in Alberta. Unlike the Alberta Sheriffs, officers in the new police service would be directly employed by the police service rather than by the government.
“With this bill, we are taking the necessary steps to address the unique public safety concerns in communities across Alberta. As we work towards creating an independent agency police service, we are providing an essential component of Alberta’s police framework for years to come. Our aim is for the new agency is to ensure that Albertans are safe in their communities and receive the best possible service when they need it most.”
Additional amendments would allow municipalities to select the new agency as their local police service once it becomes fully operational and the necessary standards, capacity and frameworks are in place. Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring the new agency works collaboratively with all police services to meet the province’s evolving public safety needs and improve law enforcement response times, particularly in rural communities. While the RCMP would remain the official provincial police service, municipalities would have a new option for their local policing needs.
Once established, the agency would strengthen Alberta’s existing policing model and complement the province’s current police services, which include the RCMP, Indigenous police services and municipal police. It would help fill gaps and ensure law enforcement resources are deployed efficiently across the province.
Related information
Province to expand services provided by Alberta Sheriffs: New policing option for municipalities
Made in Alberta! Province makes it easier to support local products with Buy Local program
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