(Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

People vs Predators raising awareness of child sex offenders released from custody

Sep 23, 2020 | 6:00 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – An Edmonton-based advocacy group made its way down to Lethbridge this week to call attention the fact that some people who are charged with offences like sexual interference or child pornography are out in the public.

Kim Upshall, a member of People vs. Predators and a survivor of sexual assault herself, says this happens all too often.

“We’re raising awareness to the people of Lethbridge of some of the sexual perpetrators that have been released. Some of them have been released due to COVID, some have been released for other reasons. Regardless of the reasons, they’re child predators and we feel that people need to know that they’re being released.”

She explains that it is sometimes a matter of correctional centres having limited capacity due to the pandemic, sometimes a matter of bail conditions being met, or sometimes for other reasons.

Either way, Upshall says this practice needs to stop.

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The group held a rally outside of the Lethbridge Courthouse Monday.

“To stop releasing the child perpetrators. They’ve been releasing them either by COVID or other means and they’ve been charged but they haven’t gone through the court system yet. We’re just letting the people know that these perpetrators are in your area and they have been released.”

The rally was held as the trial for Dr. Ramneek Kumar began this week. The St. Albert-based pediatrician is on trial for allegedly sexually touching a nine-year-old girl numerous times during a joint family vacation to Waterton Lakes National Park.

READ MORE: Teenage girl testifies at sexual assault trial in Lethbridge

A sign posted on the courthouse steps names a few others who are charged or have been convicted of child sex offences, including Coaldale’s Trevor Pritchard. He has been convicted four times of offences like sexual assault and child pornography and is currently in the process of a dangerous offender hearing.

READ MORE: Dangerous offender hearing continues for Coaldale man

During Monday’s rally, Upshall says she heard from a few different people in Lethbridge who are victims of sexual violence, some of whom have never gone public in the past. This is apparently common for the group whenever they hold public events.

She adds that, typically, they will get a call or an email from a family member informing them of an incident.

“We would go into the area, find where the perpetrator was, then we would get petitions sent out around the neighbourhood to get them locked up on [tertiary] grounds. That means that the community doesn’t feel safe having them living in the area and also for some of them to have them set up as dangerous offenders so they cannot come out again and re-offend.”

While People vs. Predators does not provide social assistance to victims, they do work with community liaisons in various police departments.

The group is heading back to Edmonton late Tuesday afternoon, but anyone who wishes to come forward to them can do so at PeopleVsPredators.ca

(Lethbridge News Now)

(Lethbridge News Now)

(Lethbridge News Now)