Crown counsel is seeking stricter conditions on a convicted sex offender who recently moved to Penticton.
Donald Michel Bakker had a scheduled court appearance in Vancouver provincial court on Wednesday as Crown made an application for those restrictions under what is called Section 810.2. Crown spokesperson Neil Mackenzie said the application is a “common procedure” in B.C. with federal prisoners who have committed significant sexual offences or violent offences and then are released after their sentence expires.
Mackenzie said the Crown is moving forward with the application because Bakker presents a risk of re-offending. In documents obtained from the National Parole Board, assessments found he did not complete recommended programming and was considered a “untreated sex offender with a high risk to reoffend.”
Bakker is entitled to dispute the application, but if it is imposed on him it could last for a maximum of two years. At that time the application can be renewed by Crown depending on Bakker’s behaviour in the community and results of other assessments.
For now, Bakker is prohibited from visiting any place where children congregate, possessing recording equipment or pornography, accessing the Internet, having contact with sex-trade workers and he is to abide by a nightly curfew, except to work. Any breach of those can result in a criminal charge, which a judge would determine the appropriate jail sentence, if any, up to a maximum of one year.
The next scheduled court date is set for July 18, where Mackenzie said Bakker could choose to go on the record if he is contesting the application.