Robert Lawther, former pastor, to be sentenced soon for sex crime
A former Glace Bay pastor found guilty in December of sexual interference involving a now 14-year-old girl will learn his sentence March 12.
Lawther, a former minister at Bethel Family Church in Glace Bay who is known as “Pastor Bob,” was joined in court Monday by a dozen supporters.
Crown attorney Christa MacKinnon argued Lawther should be sentenced to two years in jail followed by a year of probation.
Defence lawyer Nash Brogan urged Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Robin Gogan to instead hand Lawther an intermittent sentence where he would serve time in chunks and keep his job at a local call centre.
He said Lawther is no longer a pastor, can barely make ends meet, but still has support from parishioners.
Gogan has reserved her decision until March 12.
During trial, Lawther maintained he was innocent and called the charges against him “absolutely false.” However, he was found guilty by a jury in December.
At trial, three girls testified that Lawther touched them, including under their bathing suits at a backyard pool.
The offences were alleged to have happened between 2006 and 2011. Lawther was found guilty of sexual interference involving one girl; charges involving the two other girls were dismissed.
