Businessman gets weekend sentence for sex crime

Taking into account that James Lamon has five employees who rely on him, Ontario Court of Justice Judge Kristine Bignell today sentenced the Sault businessman to 45 days in jail, to be served on weekends.

Shown in a SooToday.com file photo accepting a Chamber of Commerce award six years ago, the owner of Lamon's Printing at 78 Glenwood Avenue will serve his time starting tomorrow night, between 7 p.m. each Friday and 6 a.m. each Monday. Judge Bignell commented that Lamon had no prior record and seemed to show sincere remorse for crawling into bed with the 11-year-old daughter of a close friend, placing his hand into her pants and trying to feel her breast.

He pleaded guilty to sexual interference earlier this spring.

Bignell pointed out that she was not legally obligated to give Lamon a jail sentence, since these acts took place before the law was changed in 2005, making incarceration mandatory for anyone convicted of sexual offences against a minor.

But the judge also noted that the girl now has difficulty trusting people and carried the secret of what he did for a long time because she feared she wouldn't be believed because of Lamon's close friendship with her dad.

Lamon had known the girl since she was born.

"In balancing the effect on the complaintant, only a jail sentence is sufficient," Judge Bignell said.

For the next 10 years, Lamon is forbidden from going to playgrounds, schools or other places where children under the age of 14 could reasonably be expected to be present.

Lamon's lawyer asked to make an exception for dance recitals involving Lamon's daughter, a dance teacher, but the judge gave no indication of being willing to relax the prohibition for that reason.

Lamon, who says he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offence, must refrain from consuming alcohol until his weekend sentence has been served.

The businessman is also required to donate $500 to Kidshope Inc., a local educational charity that is currently struggling.

He must also provide a DNA sample to the provincial and federal child sex offender registries.

Further, Lamon must not seek employment or volunteer as a person of trust or authority over children under the age 14.

Bignell commented that while Lamon was not technically in a position of trust over his friend's daughter, for all intents and purposes that was true.