Ron Bencze appealing sentence
Posted October 10, 2012 3:22 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Former Vancouver reporter Ron Bencze has decided to appeal his four-year jail sentence.
Bencze’s lawyers aren’t saying much except that they feel the sentence imposed by a provincial court judge in Surrey is “provably unfit,” saying it’s “outside the acceptable range.”
Bencze pleaded guilty to one count of sexual interference with a child involving his son’s friend, who is now a 14-year-old boy. Other charges against Bencze were stayed.
The defence asked for a conditional sentence of up to two years, while Crown wanted a three-year sentence. In addition to his prison sentence, Bencze is banned from being anywhere near children for 20 years.
Bencze is a former employee of News1130 but most recently worked for Global Television.
Advocacy group unhappy with decision to appeal
Chris Danielson founder of Put Kids First says the news that Bencze is appealing his sentence made her sick to her stomach.
“Four years is not enough. It was a big day in BC to get that much,” believes Danielson. “These are kids lives that will never be the same, these are families that get ruined.”
She says the kids need to come first and predators needs to stay locked up where they can’t hurt anyone.
Danielson adds if you’re a parent, educate yourself and talk to your kids so you can protect them from people like Bencze.
