Protestors demand new laws to protect children

Dozens of people gathered outside of a St. Catharines courthouse Wednesday, where a man accused of sexually and physically assaulting a Welland toddler was expected to have a bail hearing.

The crowd, including the parents of a child who was previously assaulted by the accused, are calling for change in the criminal justice system.

With calls for judicial reform and petitions in hand, dozens gathered at the St. Catharines courthouse Wednesday morning, protesting in front of a scheduled bail hearing of the man accused of brutally sexually assaulting a Welland toddler last month.

One person at the rally said, “because enough is enough. Children shouldn’t have to live in fear of their safety or sanity — the laws need to change.”

“We’re just not being listened to,” said another person at the rally. “I think that our children need to be protected.”

25-year-old Daniel Senecal is facing six charges, including aggravated assault and sexual interference on a person under 16, break and enter, choking and assault.

Niagara police allege Senecal broke into the 3-year-old’s home in the middle of the night in Welland.

These allegations have not been tested in court.

Senecal was expected to appear in St. Catharines court Wednesday, but that court date has been moved to November.

Senecal is a registered sex offender, after he was convicted last year of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy in 2021, and sentenced to 18 months in jail.

He was released early and was on probation when the alleged incident took place.

WATCH MORE: Community rallies in St. Catharines following Welland child sexual assault

Community members launched a petition after the news broke, demanding more from the criminal justice system.

“Change the legislation, the bail reform and to keep sexual predators in jail for the duration of their time — it’s short enough as it is,” said Brad Ulch, the petition organizer.

So far, more than 14,000 people have signed, and they expect to hit close to 30,000 by the end of next week, when Niagara South MP Fred Davies plans to bring it forward in the House of Commons.

“In this particular horrific case in Welland, we see that we need to put a stop to early release, particularly for sexual offenders on children,” said Davies.

On the other hand, some protesters were pushing for Ontario to make its sexual offender registry public.

Something a survivor of childhood sexual assault says could have helped her.

“With what happened to me, a registered sex offender was let into my home,” said Lizz Emerson, an advocate for sexual assault victims. “I didn’t know — I was a child, and if the adults around me had the knowledge to be able to protect me, maybe my childhood could have been spared.”

For some, this fight is personal.

CHCH News spoke with the mother of a child who was assaulted by Senecal in 2021. CHCH News has blurred her face and distorted her voice to protect the identities of her and her family.

“I feel like it failed, that our voices weren’t heard,” said the mother.

She said she was shocked to hear the man who assaulted her child was getting out of jail early.

“He’s coming around, but he still isn’t fully healed,” said the mother. “Now with this traumatic situation, he’s going backwards again and I fear for that.”

She says she hopes to see change in the justice system, so that nothing like this ever happens again.

READ MORE: Welland mayor calls on province, feds for reform in wake of child sexual assault