Former Calgary politician Terry Lo pleads guilty to charges including child luring, will serve 2.5-year sentence

Former Calgary politician Terry Lo pleads guilty to charges including child luring, will serve  just 2.5-year sentence 

WATCH: A man who once ran for office in Calgary is heading to jail. Terry Lo struck a plea deal and was given a two-and-a-half-year sentence for internet luring and sexual touching of a minor. Bindu Suri has more about what Lo said in court.

Former Calgary politician Terry Lo will serve a two-and-a-half-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to two counts, including child luring and sexual touching of a minor.

Lo will serve his sentence at Alberta’s Bowden Institution, a medium security prison.

The sentence was a joint submission between the Crown and the defence team.

“Mr. Lo was very remorseful,” Lo’s defence Lawyer Tonii Roulston said. “He was very aware of the impact that these charges had on the young person who is now the victim.”

READ MORE: Former Calgary politician Terry Lo charged with Internet luring, sex assault of underage girl

According to an agreed statement of facts, in September 2016, Lo convinced a teenager to meet him through an online chat.

The victim got into Lo’s vehicle, where he offered her alcohol.

After the incident, the victim went home and told her neighbour and mother what happened.

On March 21, Lo told the court:

“I screwed up. I wished I could have taken it back.”

READ MORE: Wildrose vice-president Terry Lo quits over party’s refusal to endorse equal rights policy

He admitted he hurt a young girl, but that he was under a lot of stress at the time.

“I ran for office. I can’t serve in the community like I used to. That just kills me,” Lo said.

He began to cry.

“My wife is still with me and I don’t know why,” Lo said.

The judge replied: “This is not what a normal person does under stress.”

He called the crime “horrendous.”

The defence told court Lo is open to counselling, that he has no past criminal history and hasn’t breached any of the conditions in the case.

Lo was charged with offences related to the sexual assault of a minor almost two years ago.

A teenage girl reported a sexual assault to Airdrie RCMP on Sept. 14, 2016.

Lo resigned as the Alberta Party candidate in Calgary-Glenmore in May 2015 for what he described as an “inappropriate” joke he posted online.