The province’s Attorney General wants a long-term offender designation for Kathryn Thompson, one of three young people who have pleaded guilty to sex offences involving children.
On Tuesday, the crown attorney submitted a letter to the court from the Attorney General which said it wants to go forward with the long-term offender application (LTO).
Thompson broke down crying in the prisoner’s box when her lawyer broke the news.
The Government of Canada created the long-term offender designation as an amendment to the criminal code back in 1997.
Mostly used for sex offenders, the designation was designed to target people who are not captured by the dangerous offender provisions, but who still present a high risk of committing future sexual offences.
After the Attorney General makes the application, a hearing takes place. In some cases, an LTO designation can result in long term supervisions in the community-upwards of ten years.
The court takes several things into account, including if a prison sentence of two or more years is appropriate for the offences, if there is a substantial risk the person will reoffend and if there is a reasonable possibility the risk the offender presents can eventually be controlled.
At the end, it’s a judge who decides if a person is declared a long-term offender.
In January, Thompson pleaded guilty to 11 charges, she had been facing 26.
A number of the crimes she pleaded guilty to involve child pornography – including making and possessing it.
The charges also include:
- Bestiality
- Conspiring to administer a noxious substance
- Conspiring to commit sexual assault.
The other two accused, Shayne Lund and Avery Taylor were also in court Tuesday.
The crown has said from the beginning it would likely pursue similar designations for them as well.
Kathryn Thompson’s long term offender hearing has been scheduled for February 2016.
