Father of 6 pleads guilty to violent sexual assault of Barrie teen

Father of 6 pleads guilty to sex assault of teen A father of six pleads guilty to a violent sexual assault of a Barrie teen in court. Beatrice Vaisman has more.

Nearly a year after what the Crown describes as a "savage, cruel, callous attack" spread fear through a community in Barrie's south end, 40-year-old David Partridge pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a teenage girl.

The father of six listened as his 15-year-old victim, a Barrie girl, recounted her horrifying ordeal, saying she thought she was going to die. "All I could think about was my family and not seeing them again. I also wondered how, and when, they would find my body. It felt like an eternity."

She told the court she was walking home from school on November 9, 2018, when Partridge approached her on a trail in broad daylight and punched her in the face so hard she fell to the ground bleeding. She described being grabbed by the throat before he sexually assaulted her.

"Once the bruises were gone people thought I was okay, but I was dealing with so much," she read through tears. The teen bravely faced her attacker in the courtroom and revealed the anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts that she has suffered since that day. "You stole so much from me. I now fear strangers, especially men."

Police released a composite sketch of Partridge shortly after the assault, which prompted another victim to contact them. The Crown told the court about the moment a jogger out in the Ardagh Road, and Eaglestone Lane area was sexually assaulted by the same man one month earlier.

The Crown said the woman came forward after hearing about the teen's attack and was able to provide police with a photo of Partridge's blue van - a clue that led investigators directly to their suspect.

Partridge was arrested three weeks after the horrifying attack and has been in police custody ever since.

He was given the opportunity to address his young victim and her family in a Barrie courtroom on Wednesday, but declined, opting instead to provide a letter to the judge which was not read in court.

Before the pair of attacks, Partridge had no criminal background, and while he has admitted his guilt, neither he nor his defence lawyer, Kimberly Miles, have explained what led to the attacks.

The defence is asking for two-and-a-half years behind bars, while the Crown wants seven-and-a-half years combined for both attacks.

Partridge is scheduled to be back in court on November 18 for sentencing.