Lethbridge Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Sexual Assault, Released After Time Served

A 60-year-old Lethbridge man, Bernard Alonzo Gibson, has been released from custody after pleading guilty to lesser offenses related to the confinement and assault of two women. Gibson was initially accused of holding the women in his home and sexually assaulting them for days. However, he saw one set of charges stayed and later pleaded guilty to the second set after the alleged victim died from unrelated causes.

Charges and Allegations

In March 2023, Gibson faced allegations of confining a woman at his home for two days before she managed to escape. He was charged with sexual assault, unlawful confinement, and assault. Following these charges, Gibson was released on bail.

Second Incident and Subsequent Charges

Weeks after his release, police were called to Gibson's Lethbridge home by his landlord, who reported finding another woman in the basement. The 30-year-old woman was taken to Chinook Regional Hospital with extensive injuries. It was believed that she met Gibson outside of Lethbridge and was subsequently driven to his southside home, where she was held against her will and sexually assaulted. As a result, Gibson faced a second set of charges, including aggravated sexual assault and unlawful confinement.

Legal Proceedings and Sentence

In August 2023, the Crown stayed the first set of charges against Gibson, although the reasons for this decision remain unclear. Typically, the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service stays charges if there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction or if it is not in the public interest to pursue the case. Subsequently, Gibson was set to go on trial for the second set of charges, but the trial was averted when the complainant passed away. Instead of proceeding to trial, Gibson opted to plead guilty to assault and unlawful confinement, leading to an 18-month sentence. This sentence was handed down following a joint submission from Gibson's defense lawyer, Robin McIntyre, and prosecutor Kathleen Tokaruk.

Immediate Release

After accounting for the time Gibson had already served, he was released from custody following the imposition of the 18-month sentence. This turn of events marked the conclusion of a deeply troubling legal case that involved allegations of confinement and assault against two individuals.