Legal proceedings conclude in harassment and protection order breach cases

In separate legal proceedings, two individuals have been sentenced for harassment and protection order violations.

In Forster, Michael Lesley Deacon appeared before Judge Allison Hawkins after pleading guilty to breaching an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) and failing to comply with child protection reporting obligations. Deacon, who has been on the Child Protection Register since 2016, visited a residence where a protected teenage girl lived on multiple occasions without notifying authorities. Despite claims of confusion regarding legislative changes, the judge sentenced Deacon to a two-year community corrections order and 80 hours of community service.

In Sooke, Cole Petrie, 32, was sentenced to house arrest for seven counts of historic criminal harassment and indecent communication. The victim, Nerissa Wick, reported being relentlessly harassed for a decade through anonymous phone calls and sexually explicit messages. Wick noted that the harassment included threats to release nude images and unsolicited explicit content, affecting multiple women within the local community.