With the tenacity of an energy-line forward on the forecheck, Cochrane resident Todd Holt’s pursuit of justice is relentless.
The Manitoba Court of Appeal has reserved its decision on an increased sentence for convicted pedophile Graham James, but Holt remains unbowed in the wake of the Dec. 3 ruling and will continue his quest to ensure others don’t have to suffer as he has at the hands of predators like James.
“It sounded like the three-judge panel really spoke this time,” Holt said in a telephone interview with The Eagle. “A few comments were said to the defence that really put them in their place.
“And maybe it’s a turn in the right direction.”
Saying the original two-year sentence does not fit the magnitude of James’s crimes, prosecutors had argued for a tougher sentence for the hockey coach who sexually abused teen players Holt, Theoren Fleury and Sheldon Kennedy in the 1980s and early 1990s.
At James’s original sentencing in March, prosecutors had sought a six-year sentence.
“We’re trying to set the standard, trying to make any standard,” Holt said of the sentence appeal. “He got two years. He’s eligible for parole already. We’re just trying to stand up. We’re trying to tell Canada, trying to tell the judicial system . . . you get in more trouble for drinking and driving or for fraud.
“This is sexual abuse. It’s a serious topic. It takes lives away. It ruins lives. We want to try to make it safe for other people who are out there still suffering. The more people who come out and face this, the more people we have understanding.”
It’s not easy being the go-to guy in a gut-wrenching case like this, but the 39-year-old father of a teen son who plays hockey feels obliged.
“It does take a lot of strength. Understanding the strength is the biggest part of it. The more we talk about it, the more we bring it to the forefront, put it in the news; people are starting to take notice. People are starting to come forward.
“It took me 20-something years to find that comfort. Someone can meet me and in 15 minutes and be able to say that they’ve been abused. Well, good. I feel so comfortable in that role.
“It’s great to hear I’m not alone. If I’m taking someone else out of those shadows and putting them somewhere where they’re more comfortable, that’s healing in itself.”
And he’s getting plenty of support from his family and fiancee, Kristen Ferguson.
“I’ve got an amazing support crew,” Holt states. “My family’s back in my life. I’ve got a lot of things that I didn’t have when I first started.”
Just when the Manitoba Court of Appeals revisits its reserved judgment prior to James’s scheduled July release is anyone’s guess.
“It could be four hours, four days, four weeks. We’re not 100-per-cent sure of exactly how long that will be,” Holt said.
