Sentencing was postponed on Oct. 20 for Zachary Stephen MacNeill, 23, who previously pleaded guilty to sexual offences involving an underaged girl.Article contentSentencing has been postponed for a Charlottetown man convicted of sexual offences involving an underaged girl.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentZachary Stephen MacNeill, 23, pleaded guilty on Aug. 21 in provincial court in Charlottetown to sexual interference for touching a girl under the age of 16 for a sexual purpose, making sexually explicit material available to a person under the age of 16 for the purpose of facilitating a sexual offence and by means of telecommunication makes an arrangement with a person under the age of 16 to commit a sexual offence. A publication ban is in place preventing the release of information that could identify the female victim.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentAccording to the facts previously presented in court by Crown attorney John Diamond, MacNeill began communicating with the underaged girl through Snapchat and iMessage in October 2024, and continued to the end of January 2025. Their relationship developed into a sexual relationship.Article contentOn Jan. 30, 2025, the girl’s mother reported to Charlottetown police her concern that her daughter was in an inappropriate relationship with MacNeill, an older man. After an investigation that included the victim giving a statement to police, MacNeill was arrested on April 8, 2025.Article contentAt the request of legal aid lawyer Julia O’Hanley, sentencing was adjourned to Oct. 20 so a pre-sentence report discussing MacNeill’s background information and personal circumstances could be prepared to assist the court. However, on Oct. 20, O’Hanley told the court that the pre-sentence report wasn’t finished. O’Hanley requested a further adjournment to give probation services more time to complete the report. MacNeill was not present in court on Oct. 20.Article contentChief Judge Jeff Lantz granted O’Hanley’s request and adjourned sentencing to Nov. 17. MacNeill did not have a prior criminal record.Article contentArticle contentTerrence McEachern is a justice reporter for The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached at tmceachern@postmedia.com.Article content
Sentencing postponed for P.E.I. man convicted of sexual offences involving underaged girl
