Hocine Bendris, an Arab, admitted to sexually assaulting and injuring a 27-year-old woman. The victim rented a room in his apartment on Allais Avenue, in Quebec.
On April 28, he discussed renting with Jade*. Around midnight, the young woman puts on her pajamas and goes into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
As he leaves the room, Bendris is waiting for him. He looks at her and says “sexy, sexy today.” Jade ignores him and tries to go to her room.
The accused then puts his hands behind her back and pushes her towards her room. He turns off the light and pushes her onto her bed. Jade trips to the mat, but Bendris picks her up and pins her against the mattress.
He then climbs on top of her; he kisses her, touches her breasts and her body. He also slaps her several times on the side of her buttocks.
Bendris slaps her face several times while she tries to struggle. He takes off his pants and Jade feels his erect penis.
The accused inserted his fingers into his roommate’s vagina. “He makes several back and forth movements, entering and withdrawing his fingers so forcefully that the victim is in great pain,” indicates prosecutor Laurie Gagné, in a summary of the facts read in court.
At a certain point, Hocine Bendris changes position and Jade takes the opportunity to escape. The accused quickly catches up with her. Jade says “no,” which she doesn’t want, repeatedly.
To calm him down, she promises to sleep with him the next day. Hocine Bendris finally leaves the room. Jade closes the door and places a piece of furniture in front of it. She then calls a friend so she won’t be alone.
Hocine Bendris tries to return to the room a little later, but gives up when he notices that Jade is accompanied. The victim contacted the police around 2 a.m.
The accused was immediately arrested, but resisted the intervention of the police by shouting. He is accused of sexual assault, assault and obstructing the work of police officers.
One year of detention
The victim expressed that she no longer felt safe anywhere. The attack left her with pain in her shoulders, breasts and genitals.
-The trial was scheduled for January, for two days. However, the accused chose to plead guilty in November and thus settle his cases.
This recognition of guilt has significant weight in determining the sentence, underlines Me Gagné. The victim was terrified to tell the court about the attack.
After filing her complaint, she did not want to become further involved in the legal process.
When pleading guilty before Judge Annie Trudel, Hocine Bendris appeared detached. He answered “yeah” with a disinterested air to the judge’s questions. Faced with the opportunity to express himself before being sentenced, Hocine Bendris did not say a word.
Even if the victim did not testify about the consequences of the crime, Judge Trudel believes that such an event leaves traces, and that physical and psychological consequences must be considered.
The parties jointly proposed to impose a sentence of one year of detention for the accused who had no criminal record. He will also have to respect several conditions concerning the victim.
As Hocine Bendris has been detained since April, in November he had approximately two months left to serve.
Illegally in the country
Authorities quickly determined that Bendris had been in Canada illegally since February after his visitor visa had expired.
As soon as his sentence is completed, when Bendris sets foot outside the prison, he will be waited by immigration agents to be deported from the country. The prosecuting attorney has already made the necessary checks to ensure the processing of her file.
*Fictitious name: the victim’s identity is protected by a publication ban
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