Conditional sentence ordered for harassment

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on February 3, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A 46-year-old man who harassed a woman on Facebook and through text messages has been handed a nine-month conditional sentence and placed on probation for 15 months.
James Alfred Finch was sentenced Tuesday in Lethbridge provincial court, where he pleaded guilty to charges of criminal harassment and watching and besetting.
In August 2020 a woman contacted Lethbridge police and reported Finch was sending her harassing texts and other electronic messages. She told police she did not know Finch but he had been sending the messages since the previous June.
The woman told police she was receiving Facebook messages and texts from an individual who claimed his name was James, and who wanted to know if she did nails and wanted to go for coffee.
“She indicated she was not interested and he became angry,” Crown Prosecutor Sheena Campbell told court.
At about 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 12, 2020 the woman awoke and saw a man in her backyard. Her boyfriend went outside and caught Finch looking in the window, but he ran away.
The woman provided officers with pictures of Finch – who was on parole at the time – from the Facebook profile, and told them the messages were getting progressively aggressive.
Campbell pointed out Finch has a criminal record, which includes convictions for criminal harassment, sexual assault and robbery.
As part of his conditional sentence order and probation, Finch must reside in Wetaskiwin where he is currently living, unless another residence is approved by his probation officer. He must avoid any contact with the woman and her boyfriend, abstain from alcohol and drugs, and receive counselling and treatment for psychiatric and psychological issues. He is also prohibited from being in Lethbridge.
Campbell noted the sentence jointly proposed by the Crown and defence, focuses on counselling rather than incarceration. If Finch breaches any of his conditions, however, he could be ordered to serve the remainder of his sentence in custody.

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