A Nova Scotia mother says she wanted her son’s abuser “to suffer” after she watched him plead guilty Thursday to kidnapping, confining and sexually assaulting her 16-year-old son last year.
The mother, who cannot be identified to protect her son’s identity, spoke to the media after David James LeBlanc appeared in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Bridgewater Thursday morning.
"As a mother, I just wanted him to suffer," she told reporters outside court as her hands shook."Normally I'm not like that, but it was just overwhelming."
LeBlanc, 48, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, forcible confinement, sexual assault, uttering threats and breach of conditions in connection with the case. Two other charges -- sexual assault causing bodily harm and administering a noxious substance with intent to cause bodily harm -- were withdrawn.
Police went on a nation-wide manhunt for two suspects last September after a woman in Upper Chelsea reported that a teenager appeared at her home barefoot, with chains around his wrists and ankles.
Police said the teen was held captive in a rural cabin for 10 days to two weeks.
LeBlanc was arrested on Sept. 30 while on the run in northern Ontario. Police had also sought a second suspect, Wayne Alan Cunningham, whose body was found nearby. Police did not suspect foul play in his death.
A third man was charged with sexual assault and communicating for the purpose of obtaining sexual services from a person under age 18. His case will be heard by a judge and jury, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 25.
The victim’s mother said she was surprised when LeBlanc indicated he would be changing his plea, and she wanted to be in court to see it for herself.
“It is hard,” she said. “It’s not what I expected. I wasn’t planning on being here today, and I just wanted to look at his face just to see the look on it when he decided to change his plea.”
During his court appearance Thursday, LeBlanc also pled guilty to sexual interference, as well as making and distributing child pornography, in a separate case involving two young boys, aged five and two, in 2010. Five other sex-related charges were withdrawn in that case.
None of LeBlanc’s victims was in court.
LeBlanc will be back in court on June 14 for sentencing. The Crown and defence are expected to draft a sentencing recommendation together.
Crown prosecutor Lloyd Tancock said he will ask that LeBlanc serve between eight and 12 years in a federal penitentiary.
Tancock told reporters outside court that LeBlanc’s guilty pleas saved his victims from having to testify in what would have been a lengthy trial.
"Our case was extremely strong and I would hope that (LeBlanc) saw that it was the proper thing to do," Tancock said outside court.
With a report from CTV Atlantic’s Kelland Sundahl and files from The Canadian Press
