Advocates protest as Welland toddler assault hearing continues

CHCH News cautions that the details of the case are disturbing and advises reader discretion.

A group of protesters gathered outside the St. Catharines courthouse Thursday, saying they plan to keep showing up until the Welland man at the centre of a horrific case is behind bars.

It’s been around nine months since a group of advocates and supporters first gathered in front of the St. Catharines courthouse, and they say their message remains the same.

“We want to remind them that we haven’t forgotten about what’s happened,” said child sexual assault advocate Liz Emerson. “That we still want proper justice, that we still want to see a sentencing that fits the crime.”

Back in October, the groups had gathered for a bail hearing.

Last month, 26-year-old Daniel Senecal pleaded guilty to six charges related to the attack and sexual assault of a three-year-old girl in her bedroom last August.

READ MORE: Sex offender Daniel Senecal pleads guilty to sexual assault of Welland toddler

The three-year-old girl was hospitalized for her injuries and the incident prompted a series of protests and community calls for harsher sentencing.

In 2021, Senecal was previously convicted of the sexual and physical assault of a 12-year-old boy and was sentenced to 18 months in jail. He was on probation when the Welland incident took place.

Inside the courthouse Thursday, the case is in the middle of what’s called a Gardiner hearing.

This happens when the accused has already pleaded guilty, but there are some disagreements between the Crown and the defence about certain facts that can impact the length of sentencing.

Our Hearts on Our Sleeve is an advocacy group that supports survivors of child sexual assault.

WATCH MORE: Hearing in St. Catharines on 2025 assault of Welland toddler begins

Alicia Googoo and several other members of the group recently delegated to a multi-partisan committee on Parliament Hill, hosted by Niagara South MP Fred Davies.

“They wanted parliamentarians to know that we need stricter sentences for, particularly, repeat child sexual offenders, and I think they got the message across,” said Davies.

Some of those demands are seen in the new changes introduced to the criminal code last week, which included harsher sentences, mandatory minimums and reverse-onus bail.

“It’s a step in the right direction, but I think more can be done,” said Davies. “The Minister of Justice said to me that he would be monitoring it and that more may have to change in the future.”

The group is still advocating to create a public sex offender registry, something Davies says he’s in the beginning stages of putting together a proposal for.

“The offender that we are here for today is a repeat offender, and we believe had the family known that he was listed on the sex offender registry, they potentially could have safeguarded the victim,” said Googoo.

WATCH MORE: Welland toddler assault hearing begins with delays