Skip to content

High risk to reoffend

Convicted sex offender Clement Robinson fits into the highest risk category to commit further sex assaults, a Red Deer court heard on Wednesday.

Convicted sex offender Clement Robinson fits into the highest risk category to commit further sex assaults, a Red Deer court heard on Wednesday.

Psychologist Mary-Anne Back told court that Robinson stood a 40 to 51 per cent chance of committing sex assaults in the next five to 10 years if released from custody.

The hearing, which is now adjourned until Tuesday, will determine if Robinson, 51, should be declared a dangerous offender. That would allow authorities to make him serve an indefinite prison term, followed by lengthy supervision.

Robinson is already classed as a long-term offender who has been sentenced to set jail terms followed by supervision.

The hearing was sought by the Crown after Robinson pleaded guilty in June 2007 to assaulting a former Red Deer escort by stabbing her with scissors on Jan. 25, 2006. He has been in custody since the 2006 stabbing.

Robinson has also served prison terms of four and a half years and seven years for sexual assaults on young Calgary prostitutes in 1993 and in Drumheller in 1982.

Back said Robinson refused to participate in an interview in October 2008 so she based his score on previous interviews he had with two psychiatrists and sub reports by other psychologists.

Back told Crown prosecutor Jason Snider that the risk factor is based on the next five to 15 years.

She also told defence lawyer Arnold Piragoff that she could have done more if Robinson agreed to participate in the report preparation.

Danna Gramlick, a Corrections Service Canada parole officer, testified through a video link to Grande Prairie. She said that Robinson told her in June 2005 he regarded a prostitute as “nothing more than a piece of meat” who only served to satisfy his needs.

He said he threatened to kill or injure them using weapons because no one cared about them.

Dr. Lea Studer, a psychiatrist who headed the highly-regarded Phoenix program until she retired last spring, testified that Robinson participated in the program for about two years.

She said Robinson spent 40 hours a week in group therapy in 2003.

She said Robinson appeared to make some progress at times but also experienced difficulties after he was diagnosed with stomach cancer and treated.

“He did relatively well in his first few months” until diagnosed with cancer.

She said pain killers for the cancer caused Robinson problems, resulting in anger outbursts.

She said Robinson had significant problems in June 2005 when he had a violent episode with a prostitute in Edmonton while on parole, which was then revoked.

“He had problems with females in authority especially young females,” Studer said.

jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com