Appeal court increases prison time for Edmonton club promoter in sex assault case

Alberta's top court has increased the sentence of a former club promoter convicted of sexually assaulting several women to 11 years.

Matthew McKnight was sentenced to eight years after he was convicted in 2020 of assaulting five women in Edmonton between 2010 and 2016.

The Crown asked last month that the Court of Appeal give McKnight a sentence of 15 years, arguing the assaults were premeditated.

The Crown had originally asked at trial that McKnight serve 22 1/2 years.

Court heard that McKnight offered alcohol to his victims, who were between the ages of 18 and 22, then assaulted them at his downtown apartment.

The Appeal court says that the 11-year sentence properly reflects the gravity of the offences.