Violent offender returns to the streets May 30

Sex offender Marcellus Jacob will be under six conditions of a statutory release when he's freed on May 30.

Sex offender Marcellus Jacob will be under six conditions of a statutory release when he’s freed on May 30.

The National Parole Board handed down its pre-release decision last Friday. It was made available to the media on Tuesday.

Jacob’s release comes following his freedom being revoked in February 2007 after he had served two thirds of a seven-year sentence for the brutal knife-point rape of a Whitehorse woman in July 2001.

Barry Stuart, the former territorial court judge who sentenced him, called the offender “a ticking time bomb”.

Jacob’s parole was revoked after he failed to return to the Vancouver half-way house he was ordered to live at by curfew and he turned himself into police four days later.

Under the latest conditions to be attached to his release, Jacob will be required to:

- follow psychological counselling;

- live at a community residential facility;

- report all relationships with females to his parole supervisor;

- abstain from all intoxicants;

- have no contact with his victim or her family; and

- have no contact with anyone under 16 without being accompanied by an adult who is pre-approved in writing by his parole supervisor.

As part of the residency condition, overnight leave will not be allowed due to Jacob’s high risk to the community, the decision notes.

“You are serving your first federal sentence of seven years for break and enter and commit sexual assault with a weapon,“ reads the decision directed at Jacob.

“At the age of 21, you broke into a woman’s home and, over several hours, raped and tortured her at knifepoint. You threatened to kill her if she reported your sadistic actions.“

It then goes on to point to Jacob’s history of property offences, violence and “a long and troubling history of sexually-deviant behaviour towards both males and females and persons younger, same-aged or older than you.“

Listed as a moderate to high risk to re-offend both violently and sexually, Jacob’s personality traits are also considered a major risk factor, it’s noted.

“Females, especially young females, are likely to be your future victims,“ the report reads.

Jacob has completed many programs from anger management to cognitive skills, and reports suggest he’s gained awareness of risk factors.

However, given the problems since finishing the programs, it’s doubtful there’s been enough progress that would prevent him from being a threat to the community, it’s stated.

“Your institutional behaviour has been problematic, with angry outbursts, although it has improved,“ the report reads.

Highly concerning is Jacob’s lying during interviews with clinicians and others involved in his case.

“It is clear based on the above that the special conditions, in addition to residency, are reasonable and necessary for the protection of society and to facilitate your reintegration for the following reasons,“ the decision reads.

“Overnight leave is not authorized due to your high risk to the community.“

While the parole board has placed the six conditions on Jacob, it opted not to place any of the recommended conditions around cell phone or Internet use on him because it would be so difficult to enforce and it’s not directly related to his offences.

“That said, it is expected you will follow direction regarding use of phones as a general expectation of release,“ the report concludes.

“Also, if you are communicating with women by e-mail or text or phone, you must report that, as you have a condition to report relationships with women.“