B.C. man sentenced for harassment, 'brazen breaches' in stalking case
A B.C. man who stalked a woman he became "obsessed with" was convicted of 11 crimes including criminal harassment, attempted break-and-enter and "serial breaches" of no-contact conditions, according to a recently published judgment.
In March, 40-year-old Yakup Cetin was sentenced to 66 months in prison for the offences. In a February trial he pleaded guilty to six counts in the case, was convicted of an additional five and acquitted on two.
Cetin first met the victim, whom CTV News is not naming, in March of 2021 when working as a live-in maintenance contractor in her building. The stalking behaviour that resulted in the criminal charges continued until October of 2021 when Cetin "managed to send (the woman) one further letter from jail," the court heard.
"(The victim) has been profoundly affected by Mr. Cetin's crimes. Her overall sense of safety, security and well-being has been shaken immensely. She now feels violated, fearful, unsafe, vulnerable and fears for her life," the sentencing decision says, referring to the impact statement submitted to the court.
THE HARASSMENT
Justice Michael Tammen's trial decision offers a timeline of the events leading up to the victim's first police report.
"The backdrop to all the allegations is Mr. Cetin's fixation, perhaps obsession, with (the victim) and his insistence that he loves her and wishes to marry her," the decision says.
Cetin asked the woman out on several occasions and left flowers and candy at her door. The court documents say she told him she was not interested in a romantic relationship, and he said in a text exchange that he "understood."
Nevertheless, he sent her another dinner invitation, which she ignored.
Tammen points out that criminal harassment is defined in law as repeated, persistent and unwanted communication or contact that causes someone to fear for their safety or the safety of others known to them. In addition, the accused has to know the contact is unwelcome or be "reckless or wilfully blind to that fact," the judge said.
After the dinner invitation was ignored, the court heard, Cetin must have known further communication was unwelcome.
"Rather than cease communicating, Mr. Cetin commenced nightly calls in which he said nothing, conduct which is a classic form of persistent, repeated communication," Tammen said.
"I do not accept his explanation that the hang up calls are in any way normal behaviour. He knew (the victim) would be tormented by those calls.”
Police were first called on March 30 when Cetin showed up at the victim's apartment uninvited while she had people over. Around midnight, while her guests were there, she received several phone calls during which no one spoke. A male neighbour answered one of these calls and heard nothing. Soon after, that same neighbour answered the door and it was Cetin, who showed up claiming he was investigating a gas leak.
After Cetin left, the male neighbour got a call on his cell phone from a man screaming and threatening to kill him, saying the victim was "his," the court decision says. The victim called the police and Cetin was arrested. Cetin pleaded guilty to uttering threats in connection with this incident.
After his arrest and release on conditions that he have no further contact with the victim or the neighbour, Cetin continued to call and text the woman. She described the messages as "ominous" and "really disturbing," and said they caused her "absolute panic".
Tammen ruled that not only were these messages a breach of his bail conditions, but they also constituted further criminal harassment. He was arrested on April 23 for multiple breaches and held for just over a month.
BREAK-IN ATTEMPT AND 'BRAZEN' BREACHES
Hammen's sentencing decision notes Cetin again breached bail conditions on August 31 of 2021 by going to the place the victim worked. He was arrested for this and then released the next day.
Three days later, around midnight, Cetin tried to break into the victim's apartment.
"The circumstances of the attempted break and entry could scarcely be more alarming. The accused attempted to gain entry to (the victim's) personal living space in the dead of night. He was bound by a court order to have no contact with (her) and not to attend anywhere in that city block," Hammen wrote.
"Only Mr. Cetin knows what further unlawful act or acts he intended to commit had he succeeded in gaining entry," the decision continues.
Arrested again for breaching his bail conditions and facing new charges, Cetin remained behind bars until October 18 when he was released on conditions that he reside at a designated facility and wear an ankle monitor.
"The accused, as he had planned to do, breached all the important terms of that release order almost immediately," Hammen said, adding that Cetin went to the victim's workplace intending to "confront her," but instead sent her a note and flowers.
After the arrest for that incident Cetin was not released again, but he did manage to commit one more breach while in custody by sending the victim a letter.
The "brazen nature of the breaches" was one of the factors Hammen cited as aggravating when handing down his sentence. In addition, the judge noted that Cetin showed a lack of insight into the harm he had caused and that the prospect for rehabilitation seemed "rather dim."
After receiving credit for time served, Cetin was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.