Man sentenced to 10 years in prison for attacking SkyTrain attendant

A man who attacked a SkyTrain attendant in New Westminster, B.C., in 2021 has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

A statement from Metro Vancouver Transit Police said Howard Geddes Skelding was found guilty of one count each of assault and forcible confinement.

Police say Geddes Skelding, who was 29 at the time of the attack, followed the guard as she entered a staff room, then exposed himself, punched her in the stomach and pushed her to the floor.

The woman was able to defend herself against the attacker while screaming for help and then managed to escape.

The man was arrested at the scene by transit police and has been in custody since the attack.

Transit Police Const. Amanda Steed said they commended the guard for her “strength and tenacity” in fighting her attacker and thanked the Crown for securing a meaningful sentence.

The British Columbia Crown Prosecution Service confirmed to CBC News that Geddes Skelding was deemed a dangerous offender and sentenced to 10 years in prison, minus time spent in custody. His sentence also includes a 10-year supervision order and a lifetime ban from owning firearms.

Geddes Skelding had previously been convicted of several crimes, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, robbery and weapons possession.

He was released from a Lower Mainland prison in August 2020. At the time, RCMP warned he was “at risk of committing offenses against women.”