The Mayor of Surrey has put the federal government on notice after a high-risk sex offender was released to live in her city.
Last week, the Surrey Police Service announced 58-year-old Marinus Willemse had been released from custody under strict conditions.
Sgt. Tige Pollock says the conditions include a curfew, having no contact with any victims of his offences, not possessing any knives or sharp objects, and not attending public parks or swimming areas where children under 16 are present.
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The SPS says Willemse poses a “significant risk to women and children in the community.”
“This is a circumstance where a gentleman has served out his sentence, and so therefore he cannot be detained anymore. But the courts have gone to the length of issuing a recognizance because there are concerns that he may reoffend,” Pollock explained.
When asked about Willemse this week, Mayor Brenda Locke says she is calling on Ottawa to change Canada’s release laws.
Locke says she isn’t happy with Willemse calling Surrey home.
“This person is not welcome. He should be in jail or in a locked facility. He is not welcome in my city,” Locke said.
Willemse’s criminal history dates back to the 1980s, convicted of crimes such as forcible confinement, attempted abduction, kidnapping, and sexual assault with a weapon.
Locke says Surrey residents have asked, but she doesn’t know his exact location.
The mayor says she has written to the federal government to make her concerns known.
“This is not the first time we’ve had somebody released into Surrey, and, quite frankly, I think the federal government has to take a strong look at how they are releasing these kinds of criminals into our cities. This is completely unacceptable, and this person is a high risk to offend.”