Halifax man who abused daughter for 3 decades dies before sentencing

A 74-Year-Old Halifax Man Convicted of Sexual Abuse Dies Before Sentencing

A 74-year-old man from Halifax who was convicted in March of sexually abusing his daughter over a period of three decades has passed away from apparent natural causes before his sentencing for the crimes.

The case was officially closed on Thursday in Halifax provincial court, as confirmed by prosecutor Carla Ball. Various other charges, including breaches of his conditions, were dropped.

The man, whose identity is being protected by CBC, had been in custody in a provincial jail.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice cited privacy laws as the reason for not disclosing specific details about the individual’s death in custody.

An incident report on the department’s website, without naming the man, stated that the person in custody passed away from apparent natural causes on April 22 at Dartmouth General Hospital, where they were receiving treatment for an illness.

In March, Judge Elizabeth Buckle found the man guilty of multiple sex offenses for sexually abusing his daughter starting from when she was a teenager until her late 40s.

Judge Buckle’s ruling highlighted the man’s denials of any sexual contact during the trial, concluding that he had “groomed” and manipulated the victim over the years, exerting coercive control due to their father-daughter relationship and financial dependence.

The man was convicted of criminal harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, incest, and several breaches of his release order.

Despite his passing, the impact of his actions on his daughter and the legal proceedings surrounding the case continue to raise important discussions about sexual abuse and manipulation within families.