Former Kingsville Fire Chief Robert Kissner, left, leaves court on April 16, 2019 after being convicted on nine sex-related charges. Photo by Mark Brown, Blackburn News.Former Kingsville Fire Chief Robert Kissner, left, leaves court on April 16, 2019 after being convicted on nine sex-related charges. Photo by Mark Brown, Blackburn News.
Windsor

Former Kingsville fire chief to be sentenced in August

The sentencing for a former fire chief convicted of sex-related offences will be completed later this summer.

A sentencing hearing for former Kingsville Fire Chief Robert Kissner began Friday morning in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Windsor. However, due to scheduling issues, the sentencing is set to be handed down on August 22, according to assistant Crown attorney Jennifer Holmes.

Kissner, 62, was found guilty on April 16 of nine total counts, including five counts of sexual assault and four counts of sexual exploitation. He was acquitted of eight other charges. The offences Kissner was convicted of involved, for the most part, inappropriate advances and sexual touching. Some of the victims who came forward were underage at the time.

Court had seven victim-impact statements submitted. A victim read one in open court, two were read in court by victims' relatives. Others were submitted to Ontario Superior Court Justice Pamela Hebner or read by Holmes.

Holmes had asked Hebner to sentence Kissner to seven or eight years in prison. Holmes had asked the court for a minimum of five-and-a-half years due to the serious of the offences, plus stricter sentencing guidelines laid out by Parliament.

"It is not a minor offence to molest a child who was put in your care," said Holmes in her submission.

Defence lawyer Kenneth Marley had requested a deferral in sentencing due to the recent passing of Kissner's mother, to allow his client time to settle his mother's affairs as well as his own. Hebner and the Crown agreed. He had asked the court for lesser, concurrent sentences on the charges.

Marley also pointed out that Kissner had a stellar record before the convictions, and that the former chief had been "vigilant" in complying with court-imposed conditions, such as not contacting any of the victims or their families, as well as staying away from any Kingsville fire service property and any educational facilities attended by the victims. Marley also submitted letters supporting Kissner from family, friends, former fire department colleagues and community members.

Kissner still faces two other sex-related charges laid by the Ontario Provincial Police in March of this year, following yet another complaint.  Those charges will be tried separately.

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