There is anger and frustration in Surrey, amid revelations a violent sex offender who police say poses a high risk to re-offend has been released back into the community, despite concerning behaviour.
Brian Abrosimo was sentenced to 14 years in prison for a pair of horrific sex crimes in 2004.
In one case he used a van to knock down two pre-teen girls who were riding their bikes, before gagging and sexually assaulting one of them in a vacant lot. The month prior, he violently assaulted a sex trade worker, handcuffing and gagging her with electrical tape.
Abrosimo completed his sentence last November and was released in Surrey on a 10-year long-term supervision order with strict conditions, including living in a halfway house and staying away from children, prompting a warning from the RCMP.
“Very, very few times do the police ever make announcements to make the public aware that people like this are in our community and when I see it I am extremely concerned this is a failure of our justice system as far as I’m concerned,” said Surrey City Councillor Linda Annis.
In August, the Parole Board of Canada suspended Abrosimo’s supervision order, taking him back into custody, after it determined he appeared to have become “fixated” on a female shelter client.
Parole Board documents say he repeatedly approached the woman trying to strike up a relationship. Abrosimo continued his advances after the woman said she wasn’t interested and after his case management team told him to break off contact.
Abrosimo was subsequently taken back into custody, after which the Parole Board documents say he “downplayed and minimized” his actions.
“Overall, it is reported you took no accountability for your actions … and instead played the victim stance for the current circumstances,” the documents state.
The board further concluded that Abrosimo failed to see similarities between the situation and his crimes, “i.e. vulnerable women/girls, intense emotional needs on your part, and disregard for boundaries.”
“The (case management team) does not consider your behaviour to be a breach of conditions, however there is a concern that you appear to have fixated on the shelter client, which raises concern about your risk to re-offend,” it added.
Despite that conclusion, the Parole Board approved Abrosimo’s re-release into the community earlier this month.
“This case really brings up all sort of concerns with whether or not we actually have, in British Columbia, proper resourced housing, proper facilities that actually have the type of care that a person like this would need,” BC Conservative public safety critic Elenore Sturko said.
Under his modified release conditions, Abrosimo must now attempt to initiate any sexual or non-sexual relationships or friendships with females without written permission from his parole supervisor.
He must also continue to avoid children and children’s areas, live in a halfway house, avoid sex trade workers, and not consume drugs, alcohol or pornography.
Upon Abrosimo’s release last year, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke blasted the justice system for what she called an “outrageous” decision.
“A judge called Abrosimo’s offences ‘the most heinous and grave crimes known to our society’ and it is reprehensible that this dangerous sex predator is being released into our community,” she wrote at the tiem.
“Abrosimo’s release into Surrey is yet another blatant example of what is wrong with our justice system. I ask that our residents to be extra vigilant and take safety precautions, as Abrosimo poses a significant risk to children and women in Surrey.”