An Enderby man who physically and sexually assaulted his ex-partner, tying her up with zip ties before she managed to escape using hidden nail clippers, has been ordered to spend six years in prison.
Jarret David Lautsch was sentenced in Salmon Arm Provincial Court on Monday after earlier entering guilty pleas to charges of sexual assault with a weapon, assault with a weapon, unlawful confinement and uttering threats.
The assault took place on Oct. 18, 2023, when Lautsch picked his ex-partner up from the hospital and brought her to his house. The woman cannot be named under a publication ban.
The evening took a turn when the woman refused to cuddle with Lautsch. He then barricaded the door and held her against her will, removing locking mechanisms from the door to ensure she could not leave.
Lautsch kept his ex confined for 12 hours, during which time he punished her for not following his commands — physically attacking her and removing her clothing, then refusing to give it back.
He also tied her up with zip ties and would remove them temporarily only if she obeyed him.
The ex tried to escape several times through the course of the night but Lautsch rarely left her side. At one point he tied her to a piece of furniture while he left the room.
“Lautsch would pretend to fall asleep on the bed and as soon as [his ex] made a move to leave he would ‘wake’ and punish her by assaulting her,” reads Monday's court decision. “He assaulted her throughout the night, many times holding the steak knife in his hand while assaulting her or threatening her.”
Lautsch threatened to rape the woman and at one point he pushed a sex toy down her throat.
The woman managed to secretly grab a pair of nail clippers from the bathroom. She hid them under the pillow and waited for Lautsch to fall asleep, then she freed herself and fled.
“She ran naked to the neighbours, with zip ties attached to her arms and feet, and bruises on her body. She banged on a neighbours’ door, who opened it, brought her inside, gave her a blanket and called 911," the decision reads.
Lautsch was arrested 20 minutes later.
Provincial Court Judge Jermey Guild called the incident "very grave."
“The assault was continuing and degrading,” he said in his decision.
Lautsch was sentenced to six years in prison. Once given credit for time served, he has about 3.5 years remaining.
He must also submit a DNA sample to a national registry and have no contact with his ex while in custody. He will be on the sex offender registry for 20 years and was handed an additional 10-year weapons prohibition.
