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A man with a history of sexually abusing children — including trying to kidnap a teenage girl while she was on her way to school in New Sudbury — is appealing his convictions.

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Michel Albert, who has always maintained his innocence and claimed to be the victim of a conspiracy, is representing himself in the appeals.

As a result, Albert’s dangerous offender hearing, which had been scheduled for November 4, will be postponed.

Lawyer Denis Michel, who is representing Albert at the dangerous offender hearing, told the Sudbury court the adjournment was necessary because of the appeals his client had launched.

Michel said a date for the dangerous offender hearing could be set for November 27 when the matter comes back to court.

Ontario Court Justice Andrew Buttazzoni found Albert guilty last year of assault causing bodily harm and forcible restraint after he tried to kidnap a girl on Paquette Street in April 2019.

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The girl was going to school when Albert tried to drag her into his apartment on Paquette Street, Judge Buttazzoni ruled. Passersby who heard the girl screaming intervened to save her.

The victim suffered a sore cheek and ear, scratches to his back and bruises to his face, lips and knees.

Albert tried to argue that he should not be found criminally responsible because he suffered from a mental disorder that made him unable to appreciate his actions. Michel said his client has no recollection of the events of that day.

However, this argument was rejected.

Judge Buttazzoni also found Albert guilty of two counts of assaulting police officers and resisting arrest.

Greater Sudbury police officers scrambled to arrest Albert at his apartment following the foiled kidnapping. Albert tried to argue that those charges should be dropped because the police used excessive force, but Buttazzoni rejected that constitutional argument as well.

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Albert’s sentencing has been stayed because the Crown wants a hearing to be declared a dangerous offender. The designation is reserved for Canada’s most violent criminals and sexual predators. Crown attorneys can request the designation during sentencing and must show there is a high risk the offender will commit violent or sexual crimes.

Judge Buttazzoni noted that the female victim knew Albert before he attacked her. “She was fighting for her life,” the judge said. “Her face came incredibly close to accusing. He recognized him as the same person he had seen on five previous occasions.

“Although she did not know his name, she recognized him as one of the five people who lived at 1200 Paquette St. … I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that it was Mr Albert who attacked (the teenager) on 4th April 2019. , as he was walking to school.”

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It was also determined that the genetic material recovered from the teenager’s fingernails, the judge added, came from Albert.

Buttazzoni also noted that had it not been for the “fortuitous involvement of good Samaritans” who came to the teenager’s rescue during the attack, Albert would have been able to drag the teenager into his nearby apartment.

Albert’s arrest on April 4, 2019 led to a number of other charges. As a result, he was:

– sentenced to five years in prison for having oral sex with a six- or seven-year-old girl he knew while she was asleep more than a decade ago;

– sentenced to 2.5 years for possession of child pornography. The material was discovered on a computer in Albert’s home while police investigated the attempted kidnapping;

– sentenced to a four-month prison term for committing an indecent act more than a decade ago when he exposed himself to a teenager; and

– placed on probation for 18 months for sexually assaulting a child 30 years ago.

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X: @HaroldCarmichae

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