WATCH: Torontonians react to the news of the release of pedophile James Alfred Cooper, who has finished serving his 21-year sentence. Christina Stevens reports.
TORONTO – Toronto Police took the unusual step on Tuesday of warning the public about a sex offender who might be moving into the city, suggesting he has a “potential to re-offend.”
James Alfred Cooper, 79, was released from prison Monday after serving a 21-year sentence for five counts of gross indecency, three counts of indecent assault, two counts of rape, assault causing bodily harm, sexual intercourse with a female under the age of 14, buggery, and sexual assault.
Mark Pugash, the director of communication for the Toronto Police, said in an interview Tuesday that police take a number of things into consideration, including a person’s criminal past, and the advice of medical professionals before warning the public.
“We do it probably no more than a few times a year but we do it where we feel it’s appropriate and necessary in the interest of public safety,” he said. “It is a very rigorous process and our upmost concern is public safety.”
Cooper has had several restrictions placed on him: he has to report to police weekly, he can’t attend daycares, schools, playgrounds, arcades, public swimming pools or public parks. He can’t have direct or indirect contact with anyone under the age of 16, and he can’t have any intimate relationship with a person under the age of 16.
According to parole board documents obtained by Global News, Cooper assaulted six children over an approximately 16-year period and used “a cattle prod, buggy whip, cat-o-nine tails, belts and stick as weapons of physical abuse.”
Victim impact statements referenced in the documents say victims “indicated that they continue to suffer from physical and emotional trauma.”
Cooper was previously convicted for assault in 1958 and had a sexual assault charge against him in 1984 dismissed.
But in February, the documents indicate, Cooper allegedly made calls to a local community centre inquiring about programs for seniors and whether they coincided with children’s activities at the centre. The documents also state he denied asking about children’s programs.
Cooper was not marked as a dangerous offender when he was sent to prison over two decades ago despite the law being available.
Dr. Michael Irving, a psychotherapist who works with survivors of child abuse, said the dangerous offender act should be changed so the designation can be applied years after the conviction rather than during sentencing.
“It needs to be changed and it needs to be changed so that the new model fits so that we can keep a creep, a sick animal like him, in forever,” he said.
While police did say he’s moving to Toronto, they wouldn’t say where – for his safety as well as that of the general public.
“We know from experience not only here but elsewhere that it can be extremely counterproductive,” Pugash said. “You get the risk of vigilantism and what often happens is people get driven underground where they’re harder to monitor and they can pose a greater threat.”
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