Security tight for D-Day ceremony /14
Tories can't shake abortion issue /7

Cats defenceman laid to rest /8
Julia's pregnant -- with twins /15

CITIZEN
Serving the Central Interior since 1916
means the victims would be saved from the trauma of testifying at a trial and has gone through great emotional distress Ramsay is not a pedophile, Doust argued, because the victims were all adolescents -- his actions involved four girls aged 12 to 16 -- continues to have support from his family and friends and therefore has a good chance of responding well to treatment. He also said Ramsay has shown remorse and has endured emotional turmoil since acknowledging the incidents, to the point where he tried to commit suicide by drinking a combination of antifreeze and pesticide. The act put Ramsay in hospital for 12 days and led to a psychological assessment that found the attempt was more than a cry for help and a genuine bid to kill himself, Doust said. Letters of support for Ramsay from friends and colleagues were read into the record, saying his actions were "completely out of character," that he is a "very gentle, non-violent, soft-spoken individual who was a credit to his community," and that he was "reduced to emotional rubble, a shadow of his former self." Dohm agreed that with treatment the likelihood of Ramsay repeating the offences was slim. He also found that Ramsay's apology appeared genuine but added he had much to apologize for. Special prosecutor Dennis Murray had previously recommended a sentence of five years, and also acknowledged that Ramsay had pleaded guilty rather than denying the incidents occurred.

PRINCE GEORGE

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2004

80 CENTS (HOME DELIVERED: 56 CENTS A DAY)

Former judge gets 7 years
by MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff In a surprise decision, former provincial court judge David Ramsay was sentenced to seven years in jail Tuesday for sex-related offences committed while he was on the bench. Special prosecutor Dennis Murray had recommended a sentence of three to five years, but Associate Chief Justice Patrick Dohm of B.C. Supreme Court said the fact that Ramsay, 61, was a judge combined with the assault of one of the victims prompted him to go outside the sentencing range. Dohm said Ramsay used his standing as a route to satisfying his personal lusts and to shield himself from the consequences. "I can hardly imagine a more infamous breach of trust," Dohm said. Ramsay pleaded guilty last month to sexual assault causing bodily harm, three counts of obtaining the sexual services of someone under 18, and breach of trust in his position as a provincial court judge. He admitted to picking up underage, mostly aboriginal, prostitutes and sexually attacking one of them between 1992 and 2001. The charges resulted after a three-year RCMP probe and the willingness of four of Ramsay's young victims to testify. During the morning session, Ramsay stood up and read an apology to the victims, as well as his friends, family and colleagues. Ramsay said he was at a loss to explain how he had worked so hard at all the other aspects of his life only to "engage in such disgraceful

Courtroom sketch by George Lesniewicz

Former judge David Ramsay listens during his sentencing hearing Tuesday at the courthouse. conduct." Ramsay also asked the public to not judge the legal system by his actions. Concluded Ramsay: "I need treatment and look forward to receiving it to ensure I never engage in such harmful and (disgraceful) conduct again." Defence lawyer Leonard Doust had asked for a sentence of about four years and urged Dohm not to let the fact that Ramsay was a judge overwhelm the reasons for his decision. R a m s ay p l e a d e d g u i l t y to t h e charges, Doust also stressed, which

Citizen photo by Dave Milne

Former judge David Ramsay arrives at the Prince George Courthouse for the second time Tuesday. holding hands with his wife Sharon and accompanied by his lawyer Leonard Doust.

Vandals hit North Nechako school
by PAUL STRICKLAND Citizen staff Vandals have caused an estimated $50,000 in damage to the closed North Nechako elementary school, the secretary-treasurer of the Prince George school district said Tuesday. "It's huge," Bryan Mix said. "This is just malicious destruction." Prince George RCMP went out to the school Tuesday at 3:45 a.m., said Staff Sgt. D.A. Fayle. The fire department was also at the scene to put out several fires that had been set inside the building. Papers and trash were piled up in corners of some classrooms and set ablaze, causing significant damage to walls. In one hallway a large pile of papers, plastic materials and boxes had been stacked up by a sink and a drinking fountain, but the attempt to set it on fire failed. At the end of another hallway a smaller pile of papers had been successfully burned underneath a sink. Fire extinguishers were emptied in classrooms and in the hallways. In one hallway the extinguishers had been thrown with considerable force against the walls to create huge holes in fibreboard and gyproc. There was significant damage to a former computer room. "This has no purpose," Mix said. "This serves no purpose whatsoever." Children's library books had been thrown about in hallways, and many were water-damaged. On the grounds, two light standards had been pulled down. Mix said this kind of activity should have been noted by neighbours or the motoring public. "This is discouraging, and it is malicious," said Bill Christie, chair of the Prince George school board. "On behalf of the school district, I ask if anyone saw or heard anything, or heard anything about anyone involved in this act, to please contact the RCMP." "It's important for the community to become involved," Mix said. "Even though some schools are closed, they are still public buildings, and they still have a lot of value as buildings. Whenever vandalism like this happens, it means a senseless destruction of public resources." It is believed the culprits broke in through a back door, he said. "It would be prudent for the public to keep an eye out for unusual activity around school buildings," he said. Mix said the alarm system in the school did its job because police and the fire department were summoned. Anyone with information is asked to call Prince George RCMP at 561-3300.

Ramsay heckled upon arrival
by MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff There was no smile on David Ramsay's face when he made his way into the Prince George courthouse on Monday for sentencing. Entering at the front of the building for final submissions in the morning and for sentencing in the afternoon, Ramsay stared straight ahead and walked up a wheelchair ramp to the front entrance. Meanwhile, a handful of onlookers, some carrying signs saying such things as "Abuse of Power" and "Ramsay for Life" heckled him as he made his way to the entrance. Inside, the courtroom's 125-seat gallery was full and security guards were kept busy as the procession filed through the metal detector at the main entrance. The crowd was made up of family and friends of the victims and Ramsay, members of the native community and various advocacy groups and the media. During his submission to Associate Chief Justice Patrick Dohm, defence lawyer Leonard Doust alluded to Ramsay's curious smile when he left the courthouse May 3 after pleading guilty to three counts of soliciting sex from a person under 18 years old, and one count each of sexual assault and breach of trust. Doust said Ramsay's expression should not be interpreted as showing a cavalier attitude, but rather a nervous reaction to intense media attention. Ramsay has also been taking medication to deal with the depression he's suffered and suicidal thoughts he's entertained, Doust said.

Sentence draws mixed reviews
by MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff The sentencing of former Prince George provincial court judge David Ramsay to seven years in jail drew a mixed reaction Tuesday. Although the total was more than the five years special prosecutor Dennis Murray had recommended, the maximum on the one count of sexual assault is 14 years. As well, although sentenced to five years on each of four counts of obtaining sex from a minor and one count of breach of trust, Ramsay will serve all the times concurrently. "I think it's a joke, I think it's a sham," said Dolly Macdonald, a native woman from Fort Fraser who attended the sentencing in support of the victims and their families. "I think 10 to 12 years would have been a more appropriate sentence, given his abuse of power and given that he was in a situation where he was to represent fairness and justice. He took total advantage of that and I feel totally let down." Others were more conciliatory. Carrier Sekani Tribal Council Chief Harry Pierre said it was probably the maximum Dohm could have given under each count given the circumstances, which included Ramsay's decisions to plead guilty and to make an apology before the court. "Too bad they couldn't stretch out the years and do the whole 27 years," he said. With probation taken into account, prominent native leader Bill Wilson, who has a law degree, said Ramsay will probably be out of jail in three years. However, he praised Dohm for going beyond the five years recommended by the Crown. Murray said he based his recommendation on the case law but had no problems with Dohm's decision. "At the end of the day that the number was two years dif-

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INDEX
Annie's Mailbox . . . . . . . . .17 Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Business . . . . . . . . . . . .22-24 City, B.C. . . . . . . . . . . .3,5,13 Classified . . . . . . . . . . .18-21 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Coming Events . . . . . . . . . . .2 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Entertainment . . . . . . .16,17 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6,7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-12 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14,15

Citizen photo by Dave Milne

Women sing outside the courthouse Tuesday after hearing Ramsay's sentence. The group included members of Community Against Sexual Exploitation, the Prince George Sexual Assault Centre and the Elizabeth Fry Society.
ferent, I totally respect it and accept it," he said. He also said forcing the victims through a trial would not have been worth the effort. "It's all easy for us to say, `oh, heck, they should've gone ahead and testified, we should've had a trial, maybe we could've got 10 years," he said. "But you're not them and I worked with them for two years and I'm not putting them through that kind of a show in the interest of another couple of years."

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