Retired chiropractor Michael Beaton will not see jail time for historic sex assaults, receiving a  conditional sentence of 15 months.

A lot has changed along the strip near Baseline Road where Dr Michael Beaton once had his practice.

While the office of the retired chiropractor is now gone, pain and suffering he caused his 3 male victims has never diminished.

Beaton who is now 77, practised as a chiropractor for 35 years, most of the time in an office setting where two of the assaults occurred in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

But when Beaton closed that office in the year 2000, he continued to operate out of his home for another 14 years. The third assault happened there, in 2003.  During the trial, court heard that Beaton had groped the genitals of three patients during treatment for neck or back pain, gaining their trust first over several visits before committing the assaults.

In a victim impact statement today one of the victims said Beaton was a "predator and pervert who used his predatory skills to take advantage of his victims".

He said Beaton figured he would take his secrets to his grave were it not for the brave souls who came forward.

In fact, court heard that the complainants (there were six but Beaton was only convicted on three cases) didn't report these historic sexual assaults until decades after the abuse because of Beaton's status as a doctor.

Crown lawyer James Cavanaugh told court that Beaton wanted to see "how far he could violate the sexual integrity of his patients before he was stopped."

The Crown is seeking a jail term of 12 to 18 months. Beaton's lawyer said a conditional sentence with no jail time was more appropriate given Beaton's age and the fact that he was no longer practising.

Dr Paul Fedoroff with the Sexual Behaviour Clinic at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre told court that his risk of reoffending was close to zero.

Beaton has denied molesting any of his patients and according to Fedoroff doesn't want treatment and doesn't believe he needs it.

The case took a weird turn when defence lawyer Richard Auger told court that the witness who had delivered that victim impact statement had called his office and Beaton personally, using today’s sentencing hearing “to secure payment.” Beaton will be sentenced at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Justice Rutherford pointed out that a 77-year-old man convicted today of sexual assault would go to jail under the Criminal Code.  But he will have to consider the laws were different 30 years ago when all this started.