Drummer In Stephen Harper's Band Gets 2 years For Child Sexual Abuse

Phil Nolan — who played drums in former prime minister Stephen Harper’s band until the sins of his past caught up with him — got two years in prison Monday after pleading guilty in October to two counts of sexual interference.

“He manipulated a 13-year-old child to ... believe that this was a relationship,” Judge Ann Alder said. “In reality it was sexual child abuse.”

Nolan, 45, had told the author of a pre-sentence report that his 29-year-old self “just hit it off” with the young middle school girl.

He’d hoped to be spared jail, asking Alder to impose house arrest, while Crown prosecutor John Ramsay had asked for a four- to six-year prison sentence.

The judge said it had to be prison.

“The trauma Mr. Nolan caused was immeasurable,” the judge said.

“For years she suffered alone. She suffered for something that she was not responsible for — that Mr. Nolan was responsible for.”

The judge also gave him three years of probation and placed him on the national sex offender registry for life. Cont.

Story from - Ottawa Sun
Image from - Chris Young/Canadian Press