The man who admitted to sexually assaulting multiple victims, including minors, is behind bars and it is now up to a judge how long he will stay there.
Stephen Lemmond, a 49-year-old former restaurant manager in Barrie, agreed to go into custody Tuesday as he awaits his sentencing for sexual assault charges stemming from two years ago.
In early June, Lemmond pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of six victims, which included four minors. He was due to receive a sentence yesterday (Aug. 8), but the proceedings went late and pushed his sentencing to Aug. 25.
Lemmond was arrested at his workplace in June of 2021 after victims came forward to police saying they had been sexually assaulted over time by Lemmond, who was their boss.
Since his arrest, more victims came forward saying they also experienced sexual assault while they were employed at two Subway shops, located at Minet's Point and another at Yonge Street and Big Bay Point Road between 2013 and 2021.
Some of those victims had their victim impact statements read before the court, including one teen who read it herself.
Parents also had their say during the sentencing hearing.
The mother of one victim told the court that the job should have been something good for her daughter, but instead was the worst thing possible.
“I sent my daughter out to get a job, a place I thought she would be safe to earn some spending money and to teach her responsibilities that every parent wished to teach their child,” said the mother. “But instead I sent her into the line of fire. The sexual assault stole her innocence, ended her childhood. He gained her trust and violated her, He took advantage of his position of power in the most disgusting way possible.”
The court heard that Lemmond would massage the shoulders of the female staff, eventually also massaging their breasts and genitals.
The court heard that Lemmond would brag about knowing dangerous people and people in motorcycle gangs and that if he wanted someone to go missing, he could make that happen. That level of fear and threats allowed him to continue his assaults as his victims were instilled with fear.
The court heard that many victims suffer severe mental anguish with some experiencing thoughts of suicide because of the assaults.
The Crown is asking Lemmond be sentenced for at least eight years while Lemmond’s lawyer, Andrew Perrin, told the court that “five to seven years is a severe penitentiary sentence.”
Sentencing is set for Friday, Aug. 25 in Barrie.
