Twenty-eight-year-old Peter Bandulj from Windsor is set to spend the next few years of his life in jail after he pleaded guilty to charges related to a plot to kidnap and kill two women.
Bandulj was in a Windsor courtroom on Friday where he was sentenced to three years and 62 days in a penitentiary — a sentence which considered his time already served since being arrested in August 2015.
In prepared statements, Bandulj apologized to the victims and their family as well as his own family. He went further in expressing his hope his family wouldn't suffer any backlash as a result of his actions.
Defence lawyer Andrew Bradie says Bandulj's family is shocked and devastated by the case.
"Hopefully, people will understand they [the family] had nothing to do with it and, quite frankly, it could happen to anyone," says Bradie.
According to Bradie, it was important to Bandulj to apologize publicly.
"He wanted to apologize. He was hopeful that the victims would be here to hear the apology personally," says Bradie. "That was his idea."
Defence Lawyer Andrew Bradie seen outside the Ontario Provincial Court in Windsor on March 4, 2016. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
Bandulj's family attended the court proceedings while the victims and their family declined to attend.
The court heard Bandulj was looking for help online to kidnap, sexually assault and dispose of two women — who are not to be identified as part of a publication ban. U.S. authorities first took notice of the online postings and brought it to the attention of Canadian authorities. The investigation also uncovered 180 images of child porn on one of Bandulj's computers.
In addition to the jail sentence, Bandulj will be added to the sexual offenders registry and is banned from using the Internet except for work, vocational or educational purposes.
Bradie hopes Bandulj will reach out to him once the prison sentence has ended so Bradie can connect Bandulj with appropriate supports.
"Every indication that I've had from him is that he is sincerely remorseful," says Bradie. "He's accepted responsibility and he's going to the penitentiary."
The sentence requested for Bandulj was a joint submission by both the Crown and Defence. The Crown supported the sentence saying Bandulj saved the expense and trauma of a trial and recognized it was his first offence.