KAMLOOPS, B.C. — A British Columbia man who sexually assaulted at least 15 children over five decades has agreed to be labelled a dangerous offender, meaning he could be locked up for the rest of his life.
The man and the community in which he committed his most recent crimes cannot be identified as part of a court-ordered publication ban aimed at protecting the identity of the victims.
The offender consented to being labelled a dangerous offender in B.C. Supreme Court on Monday, when a three-week dangerous-offender hearing was expected to start.
“There is no doubt that he has caused significant harm to a number of children,” Crown lawyer Neil Flanagan told court. “He has indicated that he wants this to stop and he, today, has taken steps to ensure that occurs.”
The man's most recent offences against children, for which he was convicted last summer, took place in a small town in B.C.’s Interior.
He videotaped a number of sexual assaults involving young girls and was convicted of two counts each of invitation to sexual touching and producing child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
Flanagan said the “disturbing" videos would have likely been played in court if the offender had not consented to a dangerous-offender label.
His first convictions for sexual crimes against children date back to 1975. Court heard he has been willing to take treatment and counselling in the past, but none of it has worked.
“(He) has made an effort,” Flanagan said. “It just has not worked and, in the Crown’s view, will never work.
“There will never be a time when it will be safe for (him) to be in the community were he not supervised. The parole board might find that there is no form of supervision that would be sufficient for him, which could lead to — and he knows this — his being incarcerated for the rest of his life.”
Flanagan praised the offender for taking responsibility for his actions.
“He, today, is acting with a measure of moral courage,” Flanagan said.
“He knows he may go to jail for the rest of his life — and odds are that will happen.”
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Dev Dley will decide the man's dangerous-offender sentence.
Flanagan urged Dley to craft the sentence so that, if the offender is ever released by parole officials, he will be under strict supervision.
