Saskatchewan man who had sexual encounter with 15-year-old he met on Tinder seeks to appeal release conditions

Saskatchewan Man Appeals to Shorten Release Conditions After Tinder Encounter with 15-Year-Old

A Saskatchewan man convicted of sexual interference after a Tinder encounter with a 15-year-old girl has successfully appealed to shorten his release conditions barring him from online dating.

Trevor Howitt was sentenced to a 39-month prison term in January 2023, with conditions imposed for three years after his release, including restrictions on working with or attending certain locations with minors and using the internet, except for job-related purposes.

Justice Jeffery Kalmakoff’s appeal court decision, released this month, acknowledged that the restrictions were overly broad. However, the court opted to reduce the length of conditions by a year and modify them to address Howitt’s risk factors.

The conviction stemmed from encounters in August 2017, when Howitt, then 44, matched with the victim on Tinder. Despite the girl claiming to be 18, she was actually 15 and unable to legally consent to sexual activity.

Kalmakoff noted that Howitt’s offense involved intrusive sexual contact with a minor and highlighted the need for him to address his risk factors, including addiction to pornography and sex.

The appeal court judges maintained restrictions on Howitt’s internet use, banning him from social media, dating apps, and pornography. They also prohibited him from working with minors and imposed a new restriction on proximity to the victim’s workplace or home.

The conditions will be in place for two years after Howitt’s release from custody, emphasizing the need to protect children from similar circumstances.