Convicted sex tourist back in court after breaching probation

Convicted sex offender Donald Bakker is back in custody, simply because he has no place else to go.

Bakker, the first Canadian to be charged with sex tourism, sat in the prisoner’s box of a Vancouver Provincial Court Wednesday wearing a red jumpsuit with his hands clasped between his legs, facing charges of breaching his probation.

He entered into a nearly empty courtroom, but acknowledged a set of familiar faces — Detectives Craig Bentley and Jason Gray of VPD’s High-Risk Offenders Unit.

Bakker originally intended to stay in Vancouver, said VPD spokesman Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, which is why the pair was following up with Bakker’s latest court proceedings.

On both July 11 and 13 Sgt. Rick Dellebuur of the Penticton RCMP said Bakker turned himself into Mounties when he wasn’t able to secure a place to sleep before his 11 p.m. curfew.

He was taken into custody on his second vist to the RCMP, and was in a Penticton court in the 16th. Bakker was then remanded to Vancouver Provincial Court to appear before the Justice who ordered Bakker’s conditions.

Bakker will remain in police custody until his bail hearing where he can contest the bail conditions Friday morning in front a judge.

In 2005, Bakker received a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting seven girls in Cambodia, aged seven to 14, and of abusing Vancouver prostitutes, which he videotaped. He served seven years in prison after receiving a three-year credit for time served awaiting trial.

The Crown imposed a number of conditions on Bakker, who was released in May and intended to live in Vancouver, but was kicked out of his parents’ house June 19, and eventually settled in Penticton .

Using Canada’s Criminal Code Section 810, the Crown restricted Bakker from contacting anyone under 18, being around children, being in contact with any sex workers, having cameras of any kind, and accessing the Internet, including possessing a phone with web access. A daily curfew of 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. was also imposed for approved residency.

In prison, Bakker refused sexual rehabilitation, and was labelled a high risk to re-offend. Penticton RCMP issued a rare public warning on Bakker on June 4, with his intent to move to the Okanagan Valley city.

Sourced: theprovince