Posted on 12/29/2007 10:31:30 PM PST by Graybeard58
A retired pastor from Canada was sentenced to three years in prison today after telling a McHenry County judge he was sexually harassed by the 4-year-old Lake in the Hills girl he pleaded guilty to molesting.
Kenneth R. Cooke, 73, appeared to have reasonable chance at a probation sentence given his age, health problems and lack of criminal history heading into his sentencing hearing this afternoon.
But the Calgary man who once headed his own ministry likely blew his chance of avoiding prison when he took the witness stand and painted his pre-school age victim as a sexual aggressor.
"On a couple of occasions I felt I was sexually harassed," Cooke said. "I think there is psychological evidence that children even in their younger years can become interested in sex."
He later said he did nothing inappropriate to the girl, but pleaded guilty two months ago to avoid putting his family through a trial.
Judge Joseph Condon responded harshly, telling Cooke his statements show that he has no remorse and is a threat to young children.
"That just boggles my mind," Condon said. "It is my opinion that you have a significant problem, and that other 4-year-olds have a significant problem (around you). What I'm about to do is necessary for the protection of the public."
Cooke pleaded guilty in October to one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse stemming from allegations he fondled the girl in the summer of 2003 while he was visiting family in Lake in the Hills. The girl was not a family member.
Although indicted in January 2004, Cooke refused extradition back to the United States, setting up a 3 1/2-year legal battle than ended when a Canadian court in June denied his final appeal. Cooke surrendered to American authorities shortly after the ruling.
The girl's mother read a statement before Cooke's sentencing saying that both her daughter and her entire family continue to suffer as a result of the former preacher's actions. The girl, she said, has gotten into trouble at school for acting out sexually and has difficult making friends.
"She has stated on many occasions she is a bad person and wishes she had never been born," the girl's mother said. "You can't imagine how hard it is to hear that from your own child.
"This crime has been an emotional and psychological drain on my entire family and I don't see any end in sight for us."
County prosecutors had asked for the maximum seven-year sentence for Cooke, calling his remarks "disgusting and despicable."
"It's sickening and shows this court the defendant is not taking any responsibility for his actions," Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Sharyl Eisenstein said.
Cooke likely will receive day-for-day credit while imprisoned, meaning he could receive parole in 18 months or less.
You can just bet that es-oh-bee has offended many times and ruined the lives of many innocent children.
I suppose she was “asking for it.”
Lock him up and throw away the key. He’s too dangerous.
And just think, he had the right to remain silent.
With that attitude of his, he should be dead. I hope he dies in prison.
Ahh, it is a comfort to know that Judgment starts at the pulpit.
So this person is claiming that a 4 yr old was the instigator of sexual contact and the poor dear just couldn’t resist...
My goodness, no wonder Christians are laughed at, not for going against the World, but for being worse then the World...
Sometimes, it does seem a good idea to keep your children away from members of the clergy.
Words mean things, and I hope you'll bear with me as I untangle the semantics of your statement: If we replace the word "Christians" with "Followers of Christ" (which is the true meaning of the word), it's pretty obvious this man was no Christian. The followers of Jesus, who seek to behave as He did, are in no way made a laughing stock by the actions of this self-absorbed pretender.
This goblin’s reputation will precede him before he arrives behind bars and savage justice will indeed be administered.
He's just saying what SIECUS and the NEA are telling kindergartners. "Nobody's too young to seek sexual gratification." (retch)
ping
Just when I think I’ve heard everything.......
he will get his in the not too distant future.What a scumbag.
I’m surprised his defense didn’t work in Canada. Maybe he should have taken it up with the human rights council, or at least have claimed that the kid was a conservative.
That’s why the attorneys tell people to not say anything more than they absolutely have to. I can see how someone may think they have the perfect response to make everyone else see things their way, but in reality it can backfire and causes the others to get really angry.
Apparently, some people are just too arrogant to know when to just keep their mouth shut. They are used to thinking that people just worship them and hang on to their every word, and they get the attitude that everyone else they meet will do the same.
Being an ex-pastor, I’ll bet that what happened here. Well, good for him. His arrogance did him in and justice was more served that it might have otherwise been.
Being 73 years of age and apparently not in the best of health, I wonder how his defense will work in front of God at his final judgement...
neck
sea
I don't care if he's 95 , if he did the crime, he does the time....
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