A former Summerland man will spend the next 4.5 years in prison for child sex offences.
Ivan Glen Winchester, 42, was in Penticton court on Wednesday, pleading guilty to one count of sexual interference of a person under 14 and admitted to molesting a child between 2006 and 2010.
In February, Winchester was arrested in Prince Edward Island on a Canada-wide warrant.
Crown counsel Ann Lerchs said the assaults affected every area of the victim’s life.
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She said while Winchester entered a guilty plea and was cooperative from the beginning, the assaults are serious and continued over a lengthy period of time.
Defence counsel Michael Patterson said that, during his incarceration, Winchester will reflect on what he has done.
“Mr. Winchester is suffering shame and disgrace,” he said. “Whatever Mr. Winchester feels pales in comparison to the victim.”
Judge Gregory Koturbash also spoke about the effect the sexual assaults have had on the victim.
“What happened is awful at every single level,” he said.
After he is released from prison, Winchester will be prohibited for 10 years from visiting parks, pools, schools or other places where children may be present.
He will also be prohibited from being within 100 kilometres of the victim’s place of residence.
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