Boy, 12, on trial for scary e-mail

January 8, 2002

KITCHENER — Was sending a scary e-mail to a young girl an innocent joke that provided a few giggles at a sleepover, or was it a crime that a 12-year-old boy should be made to answer for?

A judge will decide at the end of a trial that unfolded in a Kitchener courtroom yesterday, and continues Thursday. The accused 12-year-old is charged with uttering threats to cause bodily harm to an 11-year-old girl.

The crown alleges he was involved in sending a threatening e-mail to the girl while he was at another 11-year-old girl's house last March.

That girl has told police she wrote much of the e-mail, but she's too young to be charged. Because she said the boy also participated, he was charged.

The e-mail reads in part: ``I know your deepest secrets. I am a stalker and I can see you right now.

``When you get this e-mail, you probably won't be wearing the same thing, but that's good because I can see you naked. ...

``Tell that guy (the 12-year-old accused) to stay away from you because you don't want to be around when I kill him. ...

"P.S. I'm gonna gut you like a fish!!!!! Bye.''

Some of the lines came from a horror-satire movie called Scream, according to the 11-year-old girl who admitted writing the parts about the stalker and gutting like a fish. She is expected to testify Thursday.

Testimony in court revealed the victim and her family were willing to drop the case if the boy apologized and acknowledged his role.

But he wouldn't do that because he denies any involvement, his mother said outside court.