Advertisement

Offender with history of sexual assaults against elderly women out in Vancouver, not monitored by GPS tracker

Click to play video: 'Police send out warning about sex offender in Vancouver'
Police send out warning about sex offender in Vancouver
WATCH: The release of a high-risk sex offender named James Burrows is raising new questions about community safety in Vancouver. As Jill Bennett reports, Burrows was released without an electronic monitoring bracelet – Mar 4, 2016

Vancouver Police are warning the public about a high-risk offender.

Fifty-six-year-old James Burrows is a federal offender who was convicted of four sexual assaults against women between the ages of 72 and 93 years-old.

He has been released from custody on statutory release and will be living in Vancouver.

Police say Burrows is a high risk for violent and sexual re-offending. In particular, he poses a risk of significant harm to the safety of elderly women.

Cst. Brian Montague with Vancouver Police says their officers are contacting care homes about Burrows. They are ensuring the staff have information and photos and are aware of the concerns raised about the offender.

“He is someone who is of concern to us,” says Montague. “He’s been involved in multiple sexual assaults.”

Story continues below advertisement

Montague says Burrows has been released in Vancouver, but doesn’t have any ties to the city.

Breaking news from Canada and around the world sent to your email, as it happens.

He says Burrows may return to Ontario, but until that happens, they want the public to know about possible dangers.

“We want people to know who he is. We want people to know what he looks like. We want people to avoid him,” Montague says. “If they do see him breaching one of his conditions, we want them to pick up the phone and call us right away.”

Burrows is bound by the terms of his statutory release, which include the following conditions:

• Not to associate with any person known to be involved in criminal activity
• Not to consume or possess alcohol or illegal drugs
• Not to enter any liquor store, beer and/or wine store, or business whose primary purpose is the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages
• No contact directly or indirectly with any of his victims or their families
• Immediately report any attempts to initiate intimate sexual and non-sexual relationships with females to his parole supervisor
• Not to purchase, acquire, possess, or access pornography or sexually explicit material in any form or type of media

Montague says Burrows has a history of breaching his long-term supervision orders.

His whereabouts aren’t being tracked with a GPS monitor because one was not ordered by the court, says Montague.

Story continues below advertisement

“It’s not a solution to the problem. The GPS tracking definitely assists our officers in monitoring these individuals, but it doesn’t prevent crimes from happening.”

Burrows is described as black, 6’1” tall, 260 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone who sees James Burrows in violation of any of these conditions is asked to call 9-1-1.

Sponsored content

AdChoices