A 63-year-old man who pleaded guilty to indecent exposure after exposing himself to several teenage girls in a Delta, B.C. park has been banned from the park where the incident occurred.
In Surrey Provincial Court July 11, Judge Daniel Weatherly gave Denis Lacharite a conditional discharge and a year’s probation after he pleaded guilty March 6 to committing an indecent act in a public place.
Lacharite had been charged with two counts each of committing an indecent act in a public place and exposing genitals to a person under 16 years of age.
The sentence came after a joint submission from Crown prosecutor Kristen LeNoble and defence lawyer Zain Ali.
LeNoble said the offence happened July 14, 2022 at Centennial Beach at Boundary Bay Regional Park.
“Mr. Lacharite was observed by three young children handling his genitals while in public,” LeNoble told Weatherly.
But, she said, a psychiatric report said there was no sexual purpose or motivation to Lacharite’s actions. She said there is “almost no risk” that he would re-offend.
LeNoble detailed a victim impact statement made by one of the girls. She said the incident was traumatic, that the girl felt objectified.
“It is not something I ever want to go through again as a teenage girl ever,” the statement said.
LeNoble said Lacharite’s guilty plea saved the girls from the trauma of having to testify in court.
Head injury
Ali said his client has sought help for mental health issues since the incident. He noted Lacharite had suffered a head injury and his symptoms could have contributed to the incident.
“They shouldn’t have seen what they did see that day,” Ali said of the teens.
In granting the discharge, Weatherly detailed the conditions.
“You are not to go to Boundary Bay Regional Park,” Weatherly said to Lacharite.
“Is there anything I said you don’t understand?”
“I understand,” Lacharite said.
The court heard Lacharite has no history of such offences and has taken bail conditions seriously to the point of not seeing his grandchildren since the offence.
She said Lacharite feels deep remorse and regrets that he was observed by children.
