'He's done something terrible': Windsor man pleads guilty to hate crimes against LGBTQ community
Seth Bertrand, 19, pleaded guilty Wednesday to five charges, including “inciting hatred” and mischief for his actions against the home of a same sex couple and the Windsor office of Trans Wellness Ontario.
“He's been open to taking responsibility for this from a very early stage,” defence lawyer Bobby Russon told CTV News in an interview Thursday.
“He knows he's done something terrible, you know, and he hasn't even asked for forgiveness because I think in his view, he doesn't think he's earned it,” said Russon.
Bertrand pleaded guilty to one count of inciting hatred for vandalizing a home of a couple on Tuscarora Avenue in May 2021.
Aaron Bergeron agreed to provide comment to CTV News late Thursday afternoon.
He also pleaded guilty to three counts of mischief for vandalizing the office of Trans Wellness Ontario, an agency dedicated to supporting “..Transgender, Genderqueer, Two-Spirit, Non-Binary, Queer and Questioning communities and their families,” their website reads.
When asked for a comment Thursday, a spokesperson told CTV News “Trans Wellness Ontario has been instructed by management not to provide a comment on the case.”
Bertrand also pleaded guilty to breach of a court order, for possession of a BB gun.
Bertrand took responsibility for his actions when speaking directly to the judge during Wednesdays’ virtual hearing, according to Russon.
“He (Bertrand) made it clear that he was aware that his actions caused harm. He also made it clear that he doesn't currently think this way,” Russon stated. “He was an angry, stupid kid who was 18 and listened to the worst people.”
Bertrand was handed a conditional sentence of five months house arrest.
“He can't leave his house but for a very narrow list of exceptions and he will be subject to electronic monitoring. So if he breaches it everyone will know very quickly,” stated Russon.
Bertrand also faces a five-year ban on owning weapons, although Russon believes it might as well be a lifetime ban.
“With with a (criminal) record like this, he's never going to be approved to possess a weapon in any event,” Russon stated.
Russon is hopeful the pleas will help the victims involved move on and he says his client now understands the broad impact of his actions and words.
“Anyone who's a member of LGBTQ plus is affected by this, you know, it's, it's something they've been dealing with, for the entirety of human existence,” said Russon. “It's a tragic reminder that hatred like that still exists.”
Bertrand is still facing a single charge of terrorism, laid in May of this year.
“It relates to a similar period of time, but extends beyond. So there is some overlap between the two. But the legal argument is going to be credibly different on that matter than it is on this one,” Russon told CTV.
At the next court appearance in August, Russon intends to enter a plea of not guilty on Bertrand’s’ behalf, and go to trial on the terrorism charge with a judge alone.
“I don't think that what he did plainly and simply constitutes terrorism,” stated Russon. “It's going to be less of a battle about what happened and more of a battle on whether or not those actions actually constitute a criminal offense. It's my opinion that they do not. It's my opinion that this is an instance of prosecutorial overreach and overcharging.”
Russon expects however it could take a year or more for the terrorism charge to go to trial because of the “tens of thousands of pieces” of discovery documents, including cellphone messages.
“Seth, you know, nobody likes what he did. Nobody forgives what he did. No one's okay with what he did. But it's a question of you know, is it a hate crime or is he a terrorist?” Russon said.
“I think we accepted responsibility yesterday that it's a hate crime. It's our firm position, that he's not a terrorist, and that what he did does not constitute terrorism.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Body of Quebec man who died in Cuba found in Russia, family confirms
A Montreal-area family confirmed to CTV News that the body of their loved one who died while on vacation in Cuba is being repatriated to Canada after it was mistakenly sent to Russia.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Saskatchewan isn't remitting the carbon tax on home heating. Why isn't my province following suit?
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
RCMP officers had no legal authority to enter man's home, make arrest: B.C. court
A B.C. man has been found not guilty of assaulting two RCMP officers – with the court finding he was resisting an "unlawful entry and arrest" in his home before he was tasered, taken down and hauled away in handcuffs.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.