Barrie Sexual Assault Lawyer

Being charged with sexual assault can have serious, life altering consequences. In addition to possibly being sent to prison, you may be required to register as a sex offender all which can make ordinary elements of life such as obtaining employment very difficult. Just being charged with sexual assault can have a negative impact on your life; it can damage social interactions with your friends, relatives, and coworkers. Your besmirched reputation can hang over your head like a storm cloud wherever you go. For these reasons it is imperative that you hire an experienced, knowledgeable and skilled criminal defence lawyer to fight the charges of sexual assault of which you have been accused.

At the law firm of Ted Yoannou, P.C., our ultimate goal is to have the charges against you dismissed and your good reputation fully restored. Our criminal defence law firm is available 24/7 to assist. We offer a free no obligation consultation.

Conducting a thorough investigation and finding any weaknesses in the case being brought against you are the keys to building a solid defence. Our team of professionals will leave no stone unturned to uncover the facts of the case. Does your accuser have a history of leveling such charges in the past against others? Was the alleged sexual assault consensual? Is your accuser a compulsive liar? Does your accuser have an axe to grind against you? Does your accuser suffer from false memory syndrome? Did your accuser give you good reason to believe there was consent? These are just a few of the many questions that need to be thoroughly investigated.

Being charged with sexual assault does not connote guilt; however, it is important to understand the seriousness of this accusation. A conviction for sexual assault carries with it severe penalties.

It is possible to commit sexual assault without even knowing it because the term assault means that there was at the very least a "plausible threat" to commit the crime. Any act or gesture that puts the victim in a position of thinking that sexual violence is about to occur can be considered sexual assault. Once accused, you will be arrested and it's up to the judge or magistrate to press charges or not. The alleged victim cannot press charges. It is the police determine whether they have reasonable grounds to lay a charge against you. In many instances of sexual assault, all that is required is an uncorroborated statement of a complainant.

If a person is found guilty of sexual assault, the judge can take several weeks to determine the sentence and your previous criminal history or lack thereof will have a bearing on this decision. In addition, the judge can ask a probation officer to prepare a report that outlines your character from the perspective of your family, neighbors, coworkers, and other associates that know you and that you may come in contact with on a regular basis. In this way, the judge will build a comprehensive a picture in order to determine an appropriate sentence.

Canada does not make the same distinction between misdemeanors and felonies as does the American justice system. Instead, Canadian law distinguishes crimes between the classifications of summary conviction or indictable offence. Many offences, including sexual assault, are hybrid offences and it is the Crown’s decision as to how to proceed. Indictable offences carry more serious penalties; sexual assault when tried as a summary conviction offence has a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a $2,000 fine; sexual assault tried as an indictable offence, a judge or both judge and jury, carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

As you can readily see, being charged with sexual assault is serious and your defence requires that you hire an experienced and knowledgeable criminal defence lawyer to aggressively fight these charges. Please call The Law Firm of Ted Yoannou, P.C., for a free consultation.