A Vancouver man has been sentenced following a series of violent and sexually inappropriate offences committed against multiple women between 2024 and 2025, including a particularly disturbing assault on a teenage girl.The accused, 33-year-old Fitsum Wode Zewdu, pleaded guilty to charges including sexual assault, assault, and committing an indecent act.

In one of the most serious incidents, he attacked a 17-year-old girl near a SkyTrain station, grabbing her from behind and smearing fecal matter on her face and mouth.The court heard that the victim believed she was being filmed during the assault, though no recording was found.

The judge described the conduct as “vile” and noted its capacity to cause lasting psychological harm, including fear of disease, terror, and heightened anxiety in public spaces.

Zewdu also admitted to other incidents, including slapping a woman’s buttocks at a bus stop and a confrontation outside an adult entertainment venue where he exposed himself and made threats of violence.He has a prior criminal record involving similar offences and was on a conditional sentence at the time of at least one of the incidents.A court psychologist assessed him as posing a high risk of sexual reoffending, particularly against women.

Although the judge imposed a total sentence of 695 days, Zewdu received significant credit for 311 days already spent in pre-trial custody, calculated at an enhanced rate.This reduced his remaining custodial time to 227 days, in addition to a three-year probation order upon release.

The court emphasized the need for denunciation and deterrence, highlighting the repeated nature of the offender’s conduct and the vulnerability of the victims.