Gray, Sask. is a quiet community just under 40 kilometres south of Regina. Residents there wish they would have been given a heads up when Nathan Dueck moved to the hamlet a year and a half ago because of a past sexual assault conviction.
He served time in jail following a sexual assault conviction in 2009 that involved a 17 year-old.
“If a sexual offender moves into your area, shouldn’t we as residents be let into that, know about it, or be made aware of it?” Joyce Berchard said.
Berchard lives two doors down the road from Dueck’s residence. The community’s daycare separates the two homes.
The quite community saw a large police presence form around Dueck’s home on January 25. Berchard watched the roughly two and a half hour stand-off with her adult son.
“We saw the police bring out a man with handcuffs, and I assumed that was Nathan, but we also saw them bring out a young girl that appeared to be nine or ten,” she said.
Dueck is currently in police custody facing a number of charges. This includes sexual interference on someone under 16 years old, sexual exploitation and sexual assault.
He appeared in Regina Provincial Court on Wednesday, but it was quickly adjourned. He’s back in court February 13.
“The justice system is at fault. They’ve got to do something about people like this.”
Bill Carnegie lives across the street from Dueck and first had his suspicions raised by the man’s step-sons.
“They’re the ones who told the girls and my step-daughter not to let the girls go over there because it was a dangerous place to be for little kids,” Carnegie explained.
Both Carnegie and Berchard wonder why the community was never notified that Dueck was moving to town.
In Saskatchewan, police can make an application to the Public Disclosure Committee. Police can makes applications to release the information of people they consider dangerous who have been convicted of certain crimes, including sexual assault.
The committee only recommends disclosure if they determine the subject poses a significant risk to harm other people, disclosure will help avoid the risk, and public interest for disclosure outweighs the individual’s privacy interests.
Provincial officials will not comment on Dueck because his matter is before the courts.
A request for comment from the RCMP was not returned by publishing time.
Meanwhile, Carnegie wants to see a change in how disclosure is handled.
“I don’t blame the RCMP. I think they’re just as frustrated as anybody. They arrest somebody, turn around, and they’re back on the street again,” Carnegie said.
“The justice system is at fault. They’ve got to do something about people like this,” he added.
“He shouldn’t be allowed in this town. I feel bad for his kids. I feel bad for his wife,” Berchard said.
“He should not be allowed back in this town or any town where there’s children especially.”
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