By Pete McIntyre

Sentencing delayed for physiotherapist convicted of sexual assault

Mar 30, 2020 | 11:23 AM

Sentencing has been delayed for a Vernon physiotherapist who pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault.

Stephen Witvoet was due in provincial court Monday for a decision on his sentence, but that was put-off until June 29, 2020 to fix a new sentencing date.

“That is the date when the new hearing will be scheduled. It is not the sentencing date,” Dan McLaughlin from the B.C. Prosecution Service said.

Most court cases in B.C. are being put over to later dates due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The Crown and defence lawyers have both recommended an 18-month conditional sentence for Witvoet including six months of house arrest and two years of probation.

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The judge in the case, Jeremy Guild, delayed the sentencing in the past over his concerns that recommendation is not backed up by case law.

Witvoet, 47, entered guilty pleas last October 28 to nine counts of sexual assault involving female patients at his Thrive Physiotherapy clinic between 2009 and 2016.

The Crown said there was a total of 16 female complainants. The youngest was 18 and the oldest was 53.

In some of the cases, Witvoet massaged patients for various issues ranging from shoulder injuries to flat feet, a bad back and lock jaw, and would put his hand inside their bra, according to Crown evidence.

In one case he pulled a woman’s pants below her hip bone and began to rub her pubic bone and her groin.

by Pete McIntyre

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