B.C. man convicted of 12-hour confinement, assault of ex sentenced to 6 years in prison
Jarret David Lautsch used zip ties and weapons to trap his former partner in his Enderby home in 2023
WARNING: This article contains details of abuse and may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
A B.C. man who forcibly confined, tied up and abused the mother of his child for more than 12 hours has been sentenced to six years in prison, minus time served.
Jarret David Lautsch of Enderby, B.C., was handed his sentence in a Salmon Arm provincial courtroom last week after waiving his right to a trial and pleading guilty to unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon, uttering threats and sexual assault with a weapon.
"There was an attack on an intimate partner for about 12 hours, at a place that was supposed to be safe for her. It involved threats of death, rape and physical harm not only to the victim, but to their child and broader family," Judge Jeremy Guild said in his ruling.
The survivor of the abuse cannot be named due to a court-ordered publication ban and will instead be referred to as C.L.
Nail clipper escape
On the day of the incident, in October 2023, Lautsch picked C.L. up from Vernon Jubilee Hospital, where she had been for medical reasons relating to alcohol use and mental illness.
The two had been together since 2020 and had a child together, but separated in September 2023 following an unreported incident of intimate partner violence, after which C.L. and her child moved into a women's shelter.
Lautsch took C.L. back to his home from the hospital and they hung out and drank together for several hours, according to an agreed statement of facts. When C.L. declined to cuddle naked with Lautsch, however, he became angry and refused to let her leave.
He then barricaded the front door with a couch, collected knives and alcohol from the kitchen, and took C.L. to his bedroom, where he kept her trapped for the next 12 hours. The court heard that Lautsch sexually assaulted and demeaned C.L., strangled her, zip-tied her hands and feet, and made threats to kill her.
He also began speaking in the third person.
Lautsch told his probation officer that he has an alter ego named Jerito who he said speaks and acts differently from himself. He said he didn't recall committing the offences, except for some "flashes."
C.L. was only able to escape by concealing a pair of nail clippers and then using them to cut through her zip ties once Lautsch had fallen asleep. She ran out of the house shortly before 10:30 a.m. and banged on a neighbour's door until they answered.
The neighbours brought the bruised, naked woman into their home, gave her a blanket and called 911. At the hospital, doctors found evidence that C.L. had suffered injuries consistent with blunt force trauma and attempted asphyxiation.
RCMP arrested Lautsch at his house that morning.
History of abuse, mental illness
In his sentencing decision, Guild noted Lautsch had been physically and sexually assaulted as a young child and had a history of mental health struggles, including being hospitalized a week before the offences following a suicide attempt. Guild said Lautsch had no prior criminal record and had "expressed real remorse several times."
Guild also considered a victim impact statement from C.L., who said she now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, memory loss and chronic physical pain.
"Unsurprisingly, she said she could not put into words how significantly the assault on her body, mind and spirit impacted every aspect of her life," Guild said.
He sentenced Lautsch to six years in prison, minus a credit of 1.5 days for every day he had already spent in custody, for a total remainder of three and a half years.
Lautsch will also be subject to an order under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act for 20 years, will have to submit a DNA sample to a national registry and will be banned from possessing weapons for 10 years.
If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, call 911. If you're affected by family or intimate partner violence, look for help through crisis lines and local support services and the Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada database.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
