Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Nov 01/99) - Justice Beverly Browne designated former Pangnirtung resident Tommy Veevee a dangerous offender last Thursday morning in the Nunavut Court of Justice.

Veevee, 33, a habitual offender with several serious sexual assaults on his record, is the first person in Nunavut to be so designated.

In making her ruling, Justice Browne explained that in the interests of protecting the public and ensuring that Veevee doesn't continue to cause serious injury to members of society, she had no choice but to designate him a dangerous offender.

"I am convinced that without the proper help, Mr. Veevee will re-offend," said Justice Browne in her ruling.

She added that the judgment would see Veevee take his required anti-psychotic medication on a regular basis and that it would put him in touch with the counselling and treatment he requires if he is ever to be released on parole.

Several psychiatrists have evaluated Veevee as schizophrenic, a pedophile and an alcoholic with borderline or marginal intelligence. The psychiatrists have also said treating Veevee is very difficult because some of his conditions actually prevent him from participating in his treatment.

To facilitate his possible rehabilitation and to make sure he receives the treatment he needs, Justice Browne made the recommendation that Veevee be incarcerated in some sort of medical facility. The ruling comes with an indeterminate sentence with regular reviews and the possibility of future parole.

"Now it's up to you, Mr. Veevee, to satisfy the parole board and society that you can take responsibility for your behaviour and listen and take the advice of the people trying to help you and that you take your medication without resistance," said Justice Browne.

When the original application for the dangerous offender designation first came before the Nunavut Court of Justice on Aug. 9, Crown lawyers Debra Robinson and Alan Regal called 20 witnesses, one of whom was a psychiatrist.

Robinson, who had tried Veevee on some of his previous charges, said he had a total of 22 convictions on his record, eight of which were assaults of a sexual nature ranging from sexual interference to sexual assault.

The incidents all took place in either Pangnirtung or Iqaluit and date back to 1982, when Veevee was 16 years old and first diagnosed with mental illness.

Crown lawyers also made strong allegations during their admissions that Veevee had committed several other sexual offences, for which he had never been charged.

"Many, many allegations," said Robinson, "against adult women and children."

Veevee is currently serving a five-year sentence for a sexual assault committed in October 1997. He participated in the ruling by telephone from the penitentiary in Edmonton.