The father of the man behind last year’s Quebec City mosque shooting that left six people dead denounced the Crown on Thursday for seeking a sentence of 150 years and said years of bullying against his son should be taken into account during sentencing hearings.

Raymond Bissonnette said his son Alexandre has taken responsibility for the crime by pleading guilty in March.

“He sincerely regrets what he did. He will be condemned to life in prison without any possibility of parole for at least 25 years, or possibly much more or never,” he said. “Alexandre is not a monster. The psychiatrist who testified explained the possible causes that brought him to commit this terrible crime, namely intensive bullying endured during his years in school.”

During sentencing hearings, the Crown has argued for Bissonnette to serve a 150-year term – one life sentence for all the victims who lost their lives. But his defence team has asked the judge to consider allowing him to be eligible for parole after 25 years.

Bissonnette’s father said the sentence should reflect his son’s mental state at the time of the shooting, one which he said was caused by years of intense bullying in school.

“I have trouble understanding the Crown’s attitude in ignoring Alexandre’s mental health problems. No psychiatric examination was ordered by the Crown after his arrest, despite his words to police suggesting he wasn’t thinking normally. Instead, the Crown demonized him, by any means, to gain a 150 year sentence. 150 years is a death sentence in disguise, we all know. All hope is extinct. I fear that in my son’s case, the Crown is actually seeking a political, not a judicial sentence.”

During the statement, Bissonnette expressed sympathy for the victims, saying he listened to their “immense, terrible sadness” during the course of sentencing hearings. He added that Quebec’s Muslim community faces discrimination.

“Tired of being pointed out unjustly, every time a terrorist act takes place in the world,” he said. “Tired of facing systematic discrimination in the workforce and difficulties in having their professional diplomas recognized. I realize how much this community feels isolated and misunderstood. I also realize that nothing will change their opinion about my son Alexandre and I fully understand.”