Calgary judge replaces discharge with conditional sentence in sexual assault case involving permanent resident

In Calgary, Justice Lisa Silver of Alberta’s Court of King’s Bench set aside an absolute discharge previously granted to Haagen Sagli, a Norwegian citizen who has lived in Canada since age 16. Sagli had pleaded guilty to a sexual assault that occurred on May 12, 2024, after meeting a woman at a bar and touching her while she slept. The Crown appealed, arguing that a conviction could lead to deportation under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Silver imposed a 30-day conditional sentence, acknowledging Sagli’s clean record, education, and rehabilitation efforts, but stressing the offence’s gravity and the need for denunciation and deterrence. The ruling underscores the interplay between criminal sentencing and immigration consequences for permanent residents.