Michael Ross Stratton admitted sex assaults
Jun 30, 2009 - 12:11 PM
By Jeff Mitchell
OSHAWA -- Legal arguments have begun as the Crown launches its attempt to have an admitted sex offender declared a dangerous offender.
Monday in Oshawa, Ontario Court Justice Paul Bellefontaine heard submissions from the Crown and defence on evidence to be heard in the case of Michael Ross Stratton. The Whitby man pleaded guilty in April to 13 charges related to the sexual abuse of several young girls over more than a decade.
The first hurdle for the Crown in what will undoubtedly be a long court process is to convince Justice Bellefontaine to order an assessment of Mr. Stratton to determine if the 41-year-old man fits the profile of a dangerous offender.
If Mr. Stratton is eventually declared a dangerous offender, he could be jailed indefinitely.
The heavy-set Mr. Stratton, his long curly locks tied in a ponytail, sat shackled in the prisoner's box in a small Oshawa courtroom Monday. Lawyers for the Crown and defence argued about what evidence ought to be heard by Justice Bellefontaine as he considers the Crown's application for an assessment.
Prosecutor Kent Saliwonchyk said the evidence he plans to present will show there are reasonable grounds for the court to find Mr. Stratton fits the profile of a dangerous offender.
Defence counsel Alan Risen said that while there's no dispute about some of the Crown's evidence -- including Mr. Stratton's criminal record and an agreed statement of facts read in court when he pleaded guilty -- some of the material shouldn't be considered by the judge. Mr. Risen said some proposed evidence, such as police reports that haven't been proven in court and a years-old citation for a noise violation at Mr. Stratton's home, ought to be excluded.
"Only reliable evidence should be admitted and only relevant evidence ought to be admitted," Mr. Risen said.
Mr. Stratton has been in custody since Durham police, acting on a tip, raided his home in June of 2006. Among the evidence recovered by police were hours of videotape showing Mr. Stratton in sexual situations with young girls.
Justice Bellefontaine viewed a number of those tapes during an intense trial in April.
The case continues.
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