A former B.C. doctor will not be seeing any additional time in prison for sex crimes.
At a hearing in early September, Albert de Villiers, who was convicted of sex crimes against a child earlier in 2023 and sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison had a judge place him under a two-year, $2,000 peace bond in lieu of any additional prison time.
READ MORE: Ex-top doctor in B.C., Alberta found guilty of child sex crimes
SEE ALSO: Ex-doctor from B.C.’s Interior to be sentenced in June for sex crimes involving child
A former medical officer of health in Alberta’s northern zone, de Villiers became friends with the family of his victim over several years with a number of offences believed to have occurred between January 2017 and July 2020.
It was only after de Villiers took a position with B.C. as a chief medical officer of health based in the Okanogan area that the child reported the abuse to their parents.
While initially charged under two separate offences, both related to child sex crimes, the sexual assault charge was ultimately stayed as it was deemed to be too similar to the other charge of sexual contact with a minor, of which he was convicted in February and sentenced in June.
Two other charges were levied against de Villiers, which were supposed to go to trial in August, were ultimately withdrawn and instead, the presiding judge added a peace bond, as well as a lifetime no-contact order with the victim.
There is a publication ban in effect which prohibits the identification of the victims or the witnesses.
SEE ALSO: ‘I regret the day I met you’: Victim statements, arguments heard in de Villiers’ sentencing
SEE ALSO: Former top Alberta, B.C. doctor sentenced 5.5 years for child sex abuse
