Victim told to “shhhh” as assailant grabbed woman’s breast during business transaction

As the victim walked to the door, the two shook hands and Froese tried to hug her. He was pushed away, but then grabbed the woman’s breast and held on to if for about five seconds, while putting a finger to his lips and saying “shhhh” to her.

As the man left her home, the victim called police and gave them the license plate number of the car Froese was driving. Some time later, police contacted the accused, he went to the police station and admitted to what he had done.

While Crown lawyer Lisa Weich told the court while Froese has no previous record and did submit a guilty plea, there were several aggravating circumstances, including that the victim was in her own home at the time of the offense, her children were in the home, she was completing a business transaction and was told to keep quiet about the incident – suggesting Froese knew what he was doing was wrong.

Weich asked for an unspecified amount of time in jail, followed by a period of probation, an order to stay away from the victim and a DNA order.

She added that the incident was precisely why women worry about being assaulted in their own homes, that a non- custodial sentence would send the message that the accused would not face any consequence, and that women who are assaulted and report those assaults to police are minimized.

Defense Lawyer Bjorn Wolkmann described Froese as someone with no criminal background, active in his religion, a man married for 23 years with five children, and the sole income earner of the home.

Wolkmann asked Justice G.S. Maxwell for a nine-month conditional sentence, which he argued was a type of incarceration, and would address the punitive and rehabilitative aspects of the case.

The Crown replied by indicating that neither religion nor economic factors should be considered when sentencing Froese.

Judge Maxwell told both lawyers sentencing would take place on Thursday, April 11.

by Lara Fominoff @LaraFominoff on Twitter

Victim told to “shhhh” as assailant grabbed woman’s breast during business transaction

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