A young sexual offender was let loose in Yellowknife two years ago. Despite a warning he should not be left alone near children, nobody tried to stop what he was about to do

Dorothy Westerman
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 15/04) - In the fall of 2002, a teenage boy prowled the streets of Yellowknife, stalking young girls.

The disturbed 15-year-old had been released Sept. 18, 2002, from a residential treatment program for sex offenders in Calgary.

In March 2001, he had been found guilty of committing three violent sexual assaults. The presiding judge called the attacks against three young girls "predatory and calculated."

Apparently, the intensive therapy imposed by the courts on his first convictions didn't have any effect. Eleven days into his probation, the teen found his next victim on Sept. 29, 2002, a Sunday. The little girl was walking home at 5 p.m., behind Sir John Franklin high school.

The teen grabbed the girl from behind and used her scarf to blindfold her, threatening to kill her if she screamed.

After sexually assaulting her, he left her alone in the trees.

The little girl went home and later that night told her parents her terrible story. The police were called, she retold her story to them, but no public warning was issued.

Police denied attack happened

In fact, at the time, though rumours of the attack circulated through the schools and homes of the city, police told Yellowknifer there had been no sexual assaults reported. No one knew the young sexual predator was combing the streets looking for another young victim.

Days after the first attack, on Oct. 5, the teen continued on his path of destruction. He was picked up off the street drunk by Yellowknife RCMP, taken to cells and charged with drinking under age. After he sobered up, he was let go.

Three days later, on Oct. 8, he struck again. This time, after watching from a distance, he chose an 11-year-old girl walking home along Gitzel Street.

Just 25 yards from her home, he grabbed her from behind, put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her if she screamed.

Putting a toque over her head, he forced her to the Frame Lake Trail where he sexually assaulted her.

He covered her mouth and held a knife to her throat so people walking the trail nearby would not hear her cries.

This time the police went public with the attack.

The very next day, Oct. 9, during a scheduled probation appointment, the teen informed a youth worker about the alcohol charge, stating he had made "the wrong choice."

He was allowed to leave with a promise to appear in court for the charge.

Spotted on street

The teen was identified as a suspect when a relative of one of the teen's victims from 2000, called police.

She had seen him walking on the street and suggested he'd be a prime suspect to the reported sexual attack. Police picked him up for questioning and charges followed.

In January 2004, the boy, having pled guilty, was convicted for both sexual assaults. His sentence amounted to seven years in jail and five years probation.