Violent sexual offender charged for reoffence days after release

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the charge of assault against Passechnikov.

A high-risk violent sexual offender has been rearrested for committing another violent assault after being released from jail for one week.

Alexandre Passechnikov was arrested on Oct. 27 and has been charged with “assault, choking, forcible confinement and three breaches of his peace bond after he allegedly assaulted a female who went into the rooming house where he was residing,” police said in a statement Tuesday.

“As he was being closely monitored, police became aware of the assault, and he was arrested shortly after it occurred,” reads the release.

Passechnikov was released from jail Oct. 19. Edmonton Police Service sent a release Oct. 24 warning the public about Passechnikov’s release back into the community. The 37-year-old who currently lives in Edmonton has served jail time four times prior to this arrest for his offenses.

He remains in police custody and will appear in court Nov. 4.

Staff Sgt. Tina Klenke, with the integrated offender management section of the Edmonton Police Service, said the team is “definitely concerned” that the offence happened, especially with community safety efforts in place.

Passechnikov was being monitored by the police Behavioural Assessment Unit with consistent contact, as well as through an ankle monitor, both of which were conditions of his release. Klenke said the BAU assesses each offender to make their conditions specific to their offending behaviour.

“We were in contact and doing that monitoring…police did observe him interact with this female who appeared in distress and so we intervened at that particular time.”

Police weren’t able to say at this time how he knew the woman or how she got to the house.

Mary Jane James, CEO of the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton, said the news of Passechnikov’s reoffence was “disappointing.”

James questioned whether the accused should be let out of jail again.

“We have a justice system in Canada for a reason. If this individual fulfilled the time assigned to him in jail and was released, it really is out of EPS’ hands. They did all they could do by warning the public.

“That is why we have the registry of violent repeat offenders so we can acknowledge some people will not be able to re-enter society as they need to.”

But will this change things now that the Supreme Court of Canada has deemed it “unconstitutional” to automatically include sexual offenders with more than one offence on the offenders’ registry for their lifetime.

In response to the Friday ruling by Canada’s highest court, Alberta justice minister Tyler Shandro said in a statement Monday that the ruling is going to make Canada a much more dangerous place and “make it harder to ensure these crimes are not repeated.

“Automatic listing on the sex offender registry helped build a comprehensive database for law enforcement and acted as an important tool in helping monitor sexual offenders in our communities.”

Shandro is calling on Ottawa to “invoke the notwithstanding clause to restore automatic registration to the sex offender registry.”

When it comes to sentencing, James pointed out that it’s not a one-size-fits-all crime — that there are a multitude of factors that need to be considered by judges upon sentencing for sexual crimes.

“I’m not sure that sentences ever really fit the severity of the crime,” James said. “When a person such as this has clearly demonstrated to the community and justice system that he is not capable of being present in society where he will not perpetrate harm…we have to take a stronger stance.”

— With files from Morgan Black, Global News