More than two years after his arrest and despite a guilty plea last August, former entertainment DJ and political campaign worker Ibata Hexamer has yet to be sentenced on a string of sexual assaults against young schoolgirls.
Nor has there even been a hearing on Mr. Hexamer's possible sentence, or a chance for the Crown to request a psychiatric assessment to determine whether he should be treated as a long-term or dangerous offender.
Matters were adjourned yet again in B.C. Supreme Court on Tuesday, when prosecutor Elliot Poll and Mr. Hexamer's new lawyer, Donna Turko, told the court the two sides were no longer in agreement on a statement of facts in the case.
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This adjournment followed another delay in December, when Mr. Hexamer dismissed his lawyer minutes before his sentencing hearing was due to begin.
Ms. Turko is the fourth lawyer to defend Mr. Hexamer, who has been in custody since his arrest in December, 2010.
"This matter has been adjourned from time to time to time," observed Mr. Justice James Williams, as he gave the parties two more weeks to reach a facts agreement. "[I do that] with pretty staunch expectations that this step will be completed [by then]. It is not an optimal state of affairs."
Mr. Hexamer, 44, has pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual assault with a weapon, two counts of unlawful confinement and one charge of sexual assault. His crimes stretched from 1995 to 2009, and his six victims ranged in age from six to 14 years.
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Mr. Poll, who appeared irritated by the disagreement that produced the latest delay of proceedings, said the Crown would be seeking an assessment as to whether Mr. Hexamer should be sentenced as a dangerous or long-term offender, either of which could greatly increase his time in jail.
According to police at the time of his arrest, Mr. Hexamer would threaten his terrified victims with a knife, then rape them.
Vancouver detective Dan Murphy, who headed an intense, three-police force investigation called Project Scourge into the series of sex crimes, called Mr. Hexamer's arrest the highlight of his career. "We realized … [there was] a serial child sex predator. He was unidentified, at large and free to reoffend at will."
Mr. Hexamer was a special-event producer and professional DJ. He also did political work for the municipal party, COPE. In court, he wore a greyish light sweater, baggy, beltless pants and white sneakers. He displayed no emotion during his brief time in the prisoner's box.