Trevor Pritchard could spend an indefinite amount of time behind bars if he is designated a dangerous offender.
The 35-year-old Alberta man has been convicted five times for sexual assault against underage girls.
A hearing is underway in Lethbridge to determine if he meets the guidelines for dangerous offender status.
The Crown prosecutor said in her opening remarks she is confident she will be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt Pritchard meets the requirements, that he has repetitive dangerous behaviour and is unable to control his sexual impulses.
Pritchard’s most recent conviction was in January 2019, which is when the Crown filed an application to move forward with dangerous offender status. To proceed with the application, Pritchard had to undergo a psychiatric assessment and consent had to be given by the attorney general of Alberta.
The Crown plans to call a number of witnesses during the hearing, including psychologists, parole officers and victim services staff.
The first witness to take the stand on Monday was a probation officer who dealt with Pritchard starting in 2004. He testified Pritchard was reluctant to get counselling.
The hearing is set to run this week and then resume in March for another 10 days.
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