'Scared and cowardly,' woman says she sexually abused child because she was told to

A Waterloo woman told a Hamilton court she filmed a seven-year-old girl being sexually abused and she performed sexual acts on the victim while being filmed because she was told to do so.

"I feel terrible about that night," Sonya Lucas, who pled guilty in June to sex abuse-related charges, said during her cross examination.

Lucas said she did not know she was walking into a situation where a minor would be abused and where one of the two men involved would askher to film and perform sexual acts on the victim.

She was one of the people charged after a Hamilton police investigation into a case where a seven-year-old girl was advertised on Craigslist as available for sex last year.

When asked byassistant Crown attorney Janet Booy why she complied instead of leaving, she said she was "scared and cowardly."

Booy however,argued Lucas was "completely, willfully blind," given she had known child pornography was involved during her previous sexual encounters with the man who brought her to the residence where the event in question happened.

Lucas also did not phone the police or CrimeStoppers at any point after that day last year.

Her sentencing was delayed in September because the defence and Crown had disputes over Lucas's participation. A Gardiner hearing, one that takes place during a sentencing phase of a trial to resolve disputes, took place Tuesday. Lucas testified as part of that hearing.

• Sentencing delayed for woman involved in sex abuse of girl, 7, advertised on Craigslist

Lucas is due to appear in court again on Dec. 11.Sentencing is expectedbefore Christmas.

Year and a half in court

The victim's aunt was in court today for the hearing. She cannot be named for the protection of the victim's identity.

"[Lucas] was supposed to be sentenced today," the aunt said. She expressed frustration about how long the case has taken to go through the court system.

"It's just about killed me."

She said she goes to court whenever there is a trial for someone involved in the case. She will be in Hamilton on Friday, when the stepfather of the victim will be on trial.

The aunt was joined by members of Guardians of the Children, an international organization that advocates for child abuse awareness.

During the hearing, Booy said the Crown will be asking for 10 years for Lucas while the defence asked for five to six.