MONTREAL - The son of hockey legend Guy Lafleur has been given a 15-month conditional sentence on an array of charges including uttering death threats, forcible confinement and assault.
But Mark Lafleur will have to live with strict conditions, including an initial six months of house arrest to be followed by various curfews.
He faces three years' probation after the sentence and won't be allowed to drive or visit bars during the entire period.
Lafleur will also have to continue his therapy, which Judge Serge Boisvert noted on Thursday appears to be paying dividends.
Lafleur was sentenced on 23 charges, including assault, dangerous driving and cannabis production.
Boisvert wished Lafleur good luck and told him it is up to him if he wants to avoid ending up back in court.
His lawyer Mia Manocchio said Lafleur didn't get easy off at all.
"What it means is if he breaches one of his conditions, he will be put back in jail to do the rest of his time," said Manocchio.
"It's not a done deal here, he's not finished with this situation. In front of the court however, we are."
Lafleur's parents, including his hockey-icon father, were in court for the sentencing and expressed relief their son had escaped jail time.
"I don't think it's the place for him after trying to so hard to improve his quality of life and it would have been the wrong choice to put him back in jail," Guy Lafleur said.
Fourteen of the charges stem from a tumultuous relationship Mark Lafleur had with a 14-year-old girl, who is now about 20.
"Honestly, no matter what, it's not going to change what he did to me," the female victim, whose name is protected by a publication ban, told reporters.
"The scars will always be there.
"I just hope he never ends up doing it to someone else because no one deserves to go through that."
Lafleur, 23, pleaded guilty to many of the charges last June.
Crown prosecutor Sylvie Lavergne simply said the sentence turns the page on a story of a young girl who was the victim of violence.
Lavergne, who had asked for five years in prison for Lafleur, would not say if she would appeal.
Guy Lafleur said his son is making good progress in therapy.
"So far, so good, he's working hard at it and he's doing well so far," he said.
Guy Lafleur is facing charges of giving contradictory testimony at one of his son's court dates.
A judge will decide next week whether to throw out that case over the validity of the warrant that was issued.
Guy Lafleur has separately launched a $3.5-million civil suit against the police and the Crown over his highly publicized arrest.
