The 45-year-old man an 11-year-old girl once considered an uncle has been found guilty of trying to kill her three years ago.
The girl told the court the two were watching TV together on the evening of May 26, 2013 inside the girl's St-Laurent home. During a conversation about the girl's necklace, she said the man attacked her and started strangling her with her skipping rope. She said the last thing she remembers was struggling to breathe as she fell to the floor, which is when he climbed on top of her.
The girl blacked out, but woke up lying in a parking lot of a nearby store in the pouring rain. She managed to make her way to a friend's house where someone called her mother.
Montreal police arrested the man several minutes later while he was riding a bus with a packed bag with all his personal papers.
The man's name is subject to a publication ban because of his connection with the victim's family.
During the trial the man testified the attack was perpetrated by two black teenagers who he saw several times around the home that evening. He said the boys were about 14 or 15-years-old and entered the apartment, attacking him and the girl.
Quebec Court Judge Sylvie Kovacevich ruled the man's version of the events did not match up with the evidence that was presented at the trial.
Kovacevich did acquit the man of sexual assault, saying the Crown was not able to produce enough evidence to find him guilty on the charge.
The man's lawyer Sharon Sandiford said the case is not closed, and her client intends to appeal the decision.
There were several twists and turns over the course of the investigation and trial, including the girl's training bra and skipping rope being among 17 pieces of evidence accidentally being destroyed after they were mixed in with evidence from another trial.
The defence asked for a stay of proceedings but Judge Kovacevich ruled it was human error and a lack of attention and allowed the proceedings to continue.
Sentencing arguments are scheduled for Friday.