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Accused has no empathy for victims, court hears continued from p.1 Initially, 21 charges were laid, including nine counts of sexual assault, eight counts of sexual interference, three counts of invitation to sexual touching and sexual exploitation. The three charges Hewson pled guilty to relate to three victims who were 13 at the time of the incidents. Their identities are protected by a publication ban. Hewson had worked for the Burlington Sailing and Boating Club and numerous other organizations from the YMCAs in Oakville and Burlington, to the Red Cross, and the Oakville and Bronte yacht clubs. During Tuesday's proceedings, the court heard a victim impact statement from one victim who spoke of the scarring impact Hewson had on him. The agreed statement of facts said Hewson established a friendship with the boy in 2006. The two would watch movies alone together and it was on one of these occasions in 2007 that Hewson sexually abused him. "Before I met Sean Hewson, I was a happy person. I'm told I was a funny, smart and outgoing child," said the victim on the witness stand. "Over the period of abuse, I recoiled, I became a quiet introvert and my outlook on life and the world was severely darkened. My attitude in high school caused me to alienate a number of my closest childhood friends. It has taken years 3 | Thursday, August 11, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com She knows, but she will never understand the reason why I am devoid of emotion when I should be overwhelmed, and why I feel so strongly about things that others have no concern about.... Most people in my life will only ever pretend to understand what the words shame, pain or courage mean to me. Victim of reflection and personal growth for me to begin to overcome the social anxiety that I developed as a result of my abuse. Something that I grapple with on a daily basis now is that I am without a doubt, the most negative, pessimistic and cynical of all my friends." The victim said his early relationships were stunted. He said his current girlfriend has seen the toll the trial has taken on him. "She knows, but she will never understand the reason why I am devoid of emotion when I should be overwhelmed, and why I feel so strongly about things that others have no concern," he said. "She will never understand why I won't hold her close, or why she can't rest her face on me. Most people in my life will only ever pretend to understand what the words shame, pain or courage mean to me." The agreed statement of facts describes how Hewson molested and sexually abused another 13-year-old in 2009. A third 13-year-old was chatting with Hewson online in 2006 when Hewson made a sexual invitation. Hewson had the opportunity to speak during the Tuesday proceedings, but declined simply saying, "No, thank you." Crown Attorney Harutyun Apel is calling on Justice Harris to sentence Hewson to three years in prison. Hewson's lawyer Kaley Hepburn is asking for 12-15 months incarceration. The defence argued Hewson has accepted responsibility for his actions and is willing and eager to undergo counseling to change his behaviour. They also pointed out prior to these incidents, he had no criminal record. The Crown argued there were a number of aggravating factors that warranted a harsher sentence. These factors included the number of victims and the devastating impact Hewson had on them. Apel told the court a psychological report found Hewson had no empathy towards his victims and Hewson said his sexual interest in children had diminished, but only because of their lack of "skill" during the incidents. "They don't know what they are doing," he reportedly said. Skyway Jewellers PurSES and wallEtS Impression Collection® doors have been magnificently engineered with an artfully molded wood-grain fiberglass surface concealing durable steel construction. Impression Collection ESPE all Overhead Door (Hamilton-Burlington) Ltd. Showroom: 5450 HARVESTER RD. (West of Burloak) BURLINGTON 905-333-1772 · www.overheaddoorburlington.ca 75% off *rEgular PricE limitEd timE and whilE quantitiES laSt * 2501 Third Line, Oakville (Third Line and Dundas) 905-827-0700 www.skywayjewellers.com