Convicted Burnaby sex tourist given tighter bail restrictions

A judge tightened the bail conditions Tuesday of a 59-year-old Burnaby man who pleaded guilty last month to 15 sex-tourism offences that took place in Colombia, Cambodia and the Philippines.

Crown prosecutor Brendan McCabe sought to restrict the bail of Kenneth Robert Klassen of Burnaby by monitoring him electronically and having the judge place him under virtual house arrest until his sentencing hearing on July 22.

The Crown, which will seek up to 12 years in prison for Klassen, was concerned the sex offender posed a risk to flee the country before sentencing.

Defence lawyer Ian Donaldson argued his client didn't need tighter restrictions because he has abided by all his bail conditions since 2004.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Austin Cullen decided that since Klassen recently pleaded guilty to 15 of 35 sex-tourism offences, bail should be tightened.

The judge imposed a daily curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., increased the bail surety to $125,000 from the previous amount of $50,000, and ordered Klassen to report each weekend to Burnaby RCMP and twice a week to his bail supervisor.

Mayne Island residents are upset the sex offender is building a home there on property he owns with his brother.

May McKenzie, who lives on Mayne Island and is chairwoman of the school board, said parents are concerned but the RCMP has assured residents that Klassen is being monitored before sentencing.

"It's only a short period of time before he's sentenced," she said.

David Bercovici, a Burnaby filmmaker who attended Tuesday's proceedings, said he was outraged Klassen is allowed to walk free in the community after pleading guilty to sex crimes involving girls as young as nine.

"He should be in jail. He should not be walking around free," he said. "It doesn't make sense."