Family of the victim of a vicious attack in July 2011 wiped away tears as a Penticton man pleaded guilty to all seven charges.
David Wesley Bobbitt appeared via video from Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre on Monday in Penticton Supreme Court, answering “guilty” to each of the following charges: two counts of unlawful confinement or imprisonment, aggravated assault, aggravated sexual assault, two counts of uttering threats and assault with a weapon.
The victim, whose name is protected by a court order, was not at the proceedings and family did not want to provide a comment other than they are glad Bobbitt is pleading guilty to all the charges.
Bobbitt stood with his hands shackled to address the pleas, only once straying from his emotionless answers by shaking his head side to side slightly and shrugging, stating “guilty” when asked his plea on the charge of aggravated assault against the victim’s toddler.
It was during the July long weekend in 2011 that a 22-year-old Penticton woman and her toddler son were held inside Dave’s Second Hand Store for over 10 hours. The woman was confined to a bed in the Ellis Street store and beaten by Bobbitt. Friends of the victim said she suffered bruising down her arms from fighting him off, two black eyes and she required 60 staples in her head.
A friend of the victim also told the Western News that the 22-year-old was at the store to buy a mattress for her son and was on her way out when she was knocked out with a sledgehammer or mallet.
Family contacted RCMP when the victim did not drop off her child before she was to go to work, and began scouring Penticton and area for any signs of her. It was in the early morning hours when the woman’s car was found with the windows rolled down and doors unlocked in a parking lot across the street from the store. The family of the woman began searching nearby buildings and RCMP eventually joined in, finding her and the toddler in the store. Bobbitt had already fled.
A manhunt ensued for four days before Bobbitt was arrested in the Oliver/Osoyoos area as he walked along Highway 97. An orchardist noted an individual setting up camp on his property and asked the man to leave. Following the conversation the orchardist realized it was the person RCMP had been looking for.
Justice Geoff Barrow ordered an assessment done on Bobbitt for the Crown’s application for a dangerous, long-term offender status. His next appearance in court is scheduled for July 22 to fix a date for the application hearing and sentencing.