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The 18-year-old ringleader of a teen pimping ring is the product of a turbulent upbringing and the court should send her to rehab instead of prison, her lawyer argued at a sentencing hearing Monday.
Defence lawyer Joshua Clark argues an Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision order should be available to his client.
It would see higher clinical treatment and longer supervision with stricter conditions than a standard youth sentence but would not extend beyond a three year term.
The crown has argued the girl deserves pre-sentence custody which amounts to 3.5 years, meaning she’s already served the youth sentence.
The defence argues because the girl was just 15 and that they believe her crimes were out of character and less serious than murder she should not be sentenced as an adult.
Defence lawyer Ken Hall also argues the girl is the product of her upbringing by a disengaged mother who worked as a prostitute and brought drug and alcohol abuse into her home.
He said she, “is not a victim but she is a product of her environment.”
The Crown is seeking an additional three year term under adult sentencing on top of the time served in pre-sentence custody as well as a lifetime weapons ban, a DNA sample order and lifetime registration as a sex offender.
Agencies/Canadajournal
