A Qualicum Beach, B.C., man convicted of harassing and threatening dozens of B.C. women over the phone has been sentenced to jail time for a separate case of sexual assault.
Joel Perry, 34, was arrested by Oceanside RCMP on Sept. 10 in connection with the alleged assault against an elderly female in Qualicum Beach on Aug. 19.
On Friday, Perry was given a 90-day jail sentence, to be followed by two years probation and a five-year firearms prohibition.
Police said Perry confronted the victim while she was walking her dog near the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, calling out to her while masturbating in the nearby woods.
Perry was accused of then allegedly grabbed the woman’s breasts from behind before fleeing on foot.
RCMP confirmed Perry is the same man who was handed an 18-month conditional sentence in March for dozens of charges related to several “creepy” phone calls, which dated back to September 2017.
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Perry received no jail time for those offences, instead being remanded to his mother’s house in Parksville followed by three years of probation. He was also ordered to undergo counselling and not have any contact with his victims.
Perry was arrested in connection with the calls last May after police issued a public warning.
He was initially charged with 70 criminal counts, including 31 counts of harassing and indecent phone calls, 18 counts of criminal harassment, 13 counts of uttering threats and eight counts of extortion.
He pleaded guilty to 32 charges in December.
According to the RCMP, Perry made threatening and harassing phone and video calls to women around B.C., focusing particularly on Metro Vancouver.
At times, police said, he accurately identified his victims by name and address or told them he was watching them through cameras hidden in their homes.
Police also said that he demanded the women engage him in sexually explicit conversations. If they refused, he threatened to kill their families, according to police.
While most of Perry’s victims were targeted in their homes, police said several women working at lingerie and swimwear shops were also targeted.
Investigators say it appears he was able to use software to hide his phone number, and that he used social media to gather details on the women he harassed.
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