THUNDER BAY - A man convicted of aggravated sexual assault and sexual interference will appear again next month to set a date for a dangerous offender hearing.
Ricky Lionel Keewasin appeared in a Thunder Bay Courtroom on Monday, where the matter was adjourned until May 28 to allow defense counsel, Francis Thatcher, time to obtain a defense expert in preparation for the hearing.
The matter was originally scheduled to take place in March, but Kevin Matthews, who was acting as Keewasin’s counsel on behalf of Thatcher, said after speaking with Keewasin, he was no longer in a position to move forward with the dangerous offender hearing, as new evidence may be submitted and requested that the matter be adjourned until today.
Keewasin was charged in October 2013 with aggravated sexual assault, sexual interference, breach of recognizance, and breach of probation and convicted in August 2016. A publication ban is in place on details of the case to protect the identity of the victim.
Following his conviction, the Crown submitted an application for a dangerous offender evaluation. Keewasin underwent a psychiatric evaluation and the findings were presented to the court in November 2017.
Under the criminal code of Canada, a dangerous offender designation is applied to an individual if the court finds he or she demonstrates a pattern of repetitive behaviour and restraint that could lead to death, injury or harm to others. An individual’s behaviour must also demonstrate a substantial degree of indifference and be aggressive in nature.
Individuals deemed to be a dangerous offender can be subjected to an indeterminate jail sentence, a minimum sentence for the offence plus a long-term supervision period no more than 10 years, or a sentence for the offence that has been committed.
