Victoria, BC teens sentenced to 10 to life for rape slaying of 18 year old girl

By Louise Dickson, Postmedia News [Vancouver Sun]

Kruse Wellwood, one of two teens sentenced to life in prison for the brutal rape and murder of 18-year old Kimberly Proctor last year, is the son of a convicted murderer.

On Monday, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Robert Johnston sentenced Wellwood, 17, and Cameron Moffat, 18, as adults and lifted the publication ban that had been protecting their identities since their arrest last June. Proctor was lured to a home, then tortured, beaten and sexually assaulted before she was killed. Her body was dumped and burned on a hiking trail in March 2010.

In eerily similar circumstances, Wellwood's father, Robert Dezwaan, is serving a life sentence for the 2001 murder of 16-year-old Cherish Billy Oppenheim in Merritt. Dezwaan got her drunk, sexually assaulted her and beat her to death. He left her badly damaged body covered with rocks and debris off a deserted road -where he later took RCMP after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Dezwaan committed the crime while out on bail for a previous sexual assault.

At Monday's sentencing in a packed Victoria courtroom, Johnston ruled a youth sentence would not be long enough to hold the teens accountable for their crimes. He imposed the maximum adult sentence available for young offenders.

"It goes without saying first-degree murder with intent to kill is the most serious of offences. The circumstances of this murder as admitted by the young persons are so horrific that no words can adequately convey the inhumane cruelty these young men showed Miss Proctor," said Johnston. "They planned in advance to sexually assault and kill Miss Proctor. They chose her because they thought she would be an easy target, not necessarily because either of them had any ill will towards her."

Members of Proctor's family, including mother Lucia and father Fred, filled the front row of the courtroom. Lucia wiped away tears as Wellwood stood, hands clasped in front, with lawyer Bob Jones by his side as he was sentenced to life in prison.

Defence lawyer Steven Kelliher stood by Moffat, who appeared unemotional as he was sentenced to life in prison.

Outside court, Fred Proctor called the teens "animals" and said they deserve to die a long, slow, painful death."I don't even like to call them animals because Kim was such an animal lover," said Lucia. "To me they're just monsters and monsters are not rehabilitatable."

She lashed out at Wellwood's and Moffat's parents, saying they should have done something about their sons' risky behaviour before it escalated. "This didn't happen overnight this behaviour. You see the signs. You know when something is wrong with your child."

In October, Wellwood and Moffat pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of Proctor, whose badly burned body was found under a bridge on the Galloping Goose Trail on March 19, 2010. The two admitted they lured the Grade 12 student to Wellwood's home, tied her up, gagged her, sexually assaulted her, beat her, suffocated her and mutilated her body with a knife. They then put her body in a freezer. The next day, they put it in a duffel bag and took it by bus to the Galloping Goose Trail.

Johnston also sentenced Wellwood and Moffat to five-year concurrent sentences on the charge of indignity to human remains, authorized the taking of DNA samples from the teens, and imposed a 10-year firearms prohibition.

Charges of sexual assault and unlawful confinement were stayed last week during the grim two-day sentencing hearing in which Crown prosecutor Peter Juk urged Johnston to impose adult sentences for the protection of the public.

Wellwood's father's crimes bear a striking similarity to the rape and murder of Proctor. The details of Dezwaan's offences can only be published now that the judge has lifted a publication ban on Wellwood's and Moffat's identities.

Before his murder conviction, Dezwaan had been arrested in March 2001 for sexual assault with a weapon, confinement, and robbery of a young woman in Kelowna. That followed a 1993 incident in which he was convicted of unlawful confinement and break and enter after he broke into a woman's home at night, climbed on her and tried to stuff a rag in her mouth.

A letter written by Wellwood and read in court last week, said: "As a child, I hated my father for what he had done. I felt I was less than him and now I find I have become a worse man. If you told me 10 years ago that I would commit one of the worst murders in British Columbia, I would not have believed you."

Court-ordered psychiatric and psychological reports on the teens show they are a high risk to reoffend violently and sexually. The reports also show there is little chance they can be rehabilitated.

Wellwood has been diagnosed as a sexual sadist -someone who derives sexual gratification from inflicting pain -with very strong psychopathic traits and strong indicators for necrophilia, an erotic attraction to corpses. A psychologist found he was aroused by the physical and psychological suffering of others, had rape fantasies and was interested in bondage and sexual asphyxia.

Moffat was not diagnosed as a sexual sadist but has a tendency to sexual deviance and the risk and thrill that go along with it. He has had conduct disorder problems since early childhood that involve defiant anti-social behaviour.

Border guard gets 2 years for making women strip for no reason

A Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) guard was sentenced to 2 years less a day in the British Columbia jail system followed by three years probation by forcing young women, three Americans and a Canadian, to strip under threat of detention or a criminal record. The victims were detained on pretence of drug charges. 35 year old Daniel Johnson Greenhalgh was sentenced by BC justice Fritz Verhoeven in a New Westminster, BC courtroom on March 4, 2011.

The incidents took place in the spring of 2007 at the Douglas Border Crossing in South Surrey (known as the Blaine or Peach Arch crossing to Americans). The gropings took place between April 12 and May 26 in various locations at the crossing. The first incident, on April 12, featured two Seattle young women who were trying to cross the border. Greenhalgh separated them, made both of them strip, but only groped one of them.

The victims were not admitted into Canada.  The next incident featured a Canadian woman who was returning from Seattle with her friend April 14. The last incident featured a young heterosexual couple detained at the border on May 26, 2007. The last incident lead to the charges Greenhalgh were convicted of. 

The couple were detained at the border for one hour and 20 minutes. During that time Greenhalgh allegedly grilled the young woman about whether she was smuggling drugs, and then suggested that she could either be detained overnight in a cell and strip-searched in the morning or strip-searched now. When she chose to be strip-searched immediately, she was told to walk to the back of the building.

Greenhalgh then allegedly took her to a men's bathroom in a park where he ordered her to take off all her clothes except her underwear. After patting her underwear and private parts, he touched her breasts. She got dressed and the couple was allowed into Canada.

Justice Frits Verhoeven said that while even a legitimate strip search can be humiliating, the disgraced border guard used "relentless lies, intimidation and threats" to coerce women who knew the searches were illegal, but "reluctantly surrendered." Greenhalgh's abuse of authority had not only tainted the reputation of the CBSA, but tainted the reputation of Canada itself. Justice Verhoeven said that crimes like Greenhalgh's "shock and appall nearly every Canadian."

As a border guard, Greenhalgh was entrusted with enormous power, which he "knowingly, flagrantly and repeatedly" abused with apparent indifference to the suffering of his victims, Verhoeven said. And yet, he noted, the former guard has shown no sign of remorse.

The judge noted that Greenhalgh refused to discuss the offences with a psychiatrist prior to sentencing. Outside court, defence lawyer Stephanie Vyas explained to reporters that Greenhalgh maintains he's innocent and will launch an appeal of his conviction. The psychiatrist found him a moderate risk to reoffend, unless he finds himself once again in a position of authority. In such circumstances, the psychiatrist said, he'd be a high risk.

Two of the victims submitted victim impact statements. One said that after the "insult to her dignity," she had become cynical about authority figure, and a second victim is now afraid to travel. Another victim impact statement was submitted by Greenhalgh's ex-wife, who he met on the job as a fellow border guard. The ex-wife said that the crimes were a "devastating" breach of trust not only to the profession, but to her and their children. Greenhalgh is currently living in his parents' basement after being fired from the CBSA, a construction job, and using up his unemployment benefits.

Crown prosecutor Winston Sayson said that the sentence was just, since Greenhalgh's conduct was "an affront to all Canadians. He broke his promise, his oath of office."

Serial rapist who absconded from halfway house caught, sentenced for breach of conditions

(Original Post 10-25-09)
A serial rapist and attacker of women is being sought on a Canada-wide warrant by the RCMP after absconding from a Calgary, AB halfway house. Dean Robert Zimmerman, 44, is believed to be heading back to the Abbottsford, BC area from Calgary.

According to RCMP Sgt. Rob Vermeulen, “Zimmerman has ties to both the British Columbia Interior and the Lower Mainland and there is a likelihood that he could attempt to reach these areas.”

Calgary police expect Zimmerman to offend again, citing his long history of sexual and physical assaults against women. Const. Jason Bobrowich, with the Calgary Police Service high risk offender unit, says that  "It's totally a matter of when; it's not even if. Eventually, he will come into contact with a female and he will target them. Past behaviour is a predictor of future behaviour."

Zimmenman was released to a halfway house under a curfew after serving 40 months of a prison sentence for sexual assault and forcible confinement. The victim was a 24 year old Edmonton, AB woman. The three Canada-wide warrants he's wanted on include two breach of release conditions, and a fraud charge. Authorities believe that this was always Zimmerman's plan.

Bobrowich says that "I don't think it was his intention ever to stay in the Calgary area and be monitored by us for two years. Probably he worked out as much as he could while in jail."

Zimmerman's sexual criminal history began in 1995, when he served three years for the rape of a Abbottsford, BC woman. It was there that his second wife met him, despite the rape conviction and despite the ongoing marraige to another woman.

The second wife found out just how much of a criminal Zimmerman was in June 1998, when near Mission, BC he beat her, while pregnant, and allegedly raped her at knifpoint in a tent over a 12 hour period. In 2001, a jury convicted him of physical assault and obstruction of justice, bur acquitted him of sex assault charges. Zimmerman's last contact with British Columbia authorities came in 2005, as he was being sought for the Edmonton rape.

On Tuesday, [Calgary] police released new photos of Zimmerman, including ones that have been digitally altered to show how he would look with a beard or if he shaves off his goatee.

Bobrowich said the fugitive is known to alter his appearance and likely has changed his looks--growing out his hair for example -- to keep the public from recognizing him. Police also have photos of him leaving his home, dressed for the weather and with a backpack and duffel bag around 4 a. m. on Oct. 13.

Zimmerman has a limited amount of cash, so he may have hitchhiked out of town or taken a bus. He could be staying at a lower-rate hotel or motel, Bobrowich said. Police warned those staying or working at those accommodations to be wary.

Bobrowich worries that Zimmerman may con his way into a woman's life, get her to let him stay at her house or apartment, groom, then rape her. "His violent sexual offences have been as a result of him associating with women. It's very much a power and control, and slow manipulating and grooming process," he said.

Abbotsford Police Const. Ian MacDonald said every police officer in the department has received information on Zimmerman. “I would imagine given the nature of the crime we have a major crime detective who is liaising with other police agencies and an intelligence officer disseminating information,” said MacDonald.

Officers have made attempts to speak to various people in Abbotsford and check last known addresses for the offender, he said. He would not say if any of Zimmerman’s victims were still in the community or seeking police protection.

“We’re fully aware of the background and potential dangers that exist, and are conducting the appropriate inquiries, but due to the nature of his background we won’t be going into details.”

Calgary and Abbottford police are in contact working to apprehend Zimmerman. He is described as an extremely high risk to offend. He is bald, white, 5’9” in height, and weighing 205 pounds. Anyone spotting Zimmerman is urged not to approach him but to call local police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

(Update 6-25-10) Zimmerman was caught in Abbotsford, BC on December 7, 2009, carrying restraining devices (shoelaces which could be used as a ligature to strangle), and  was brought before Provincial court Judge Gerald Meagher Tuesday, June 22. Zimmenman admitted breaching six conditions of his peace bond, which he signed September 29. Those conditions were not abiding by a curfew, not living at a designated Calgary residence, not reporting to his probation officer, possessing a knife, possessing a weapon dangerous to the public peace and possessing shoe laces tied together that could be used as a ligature.

He was sentenced to 40 months in prison by Judge Meagher, who was concerned about the convicted rapist "continu[ing] to be a high risk for violent recidivism and sexual recidivism." Meagher's assessment of Zimmerman continues below.


  The breaches of the reporting, residency and curfew conditions were serious breaches, because they were part of the framework of supervision to manage the offender's risk to the community. His degree of violence appears to be escalating and he appears to be ambivalent to accepting responsibility for his offences and his victims...These same items, a knife and restraining devices (shoelaces tied with slip knots), had been used on his most recent victim who had been repeatedly sexually asaulted over a period of approximately nine hours of confinement. For these offences Zimmerman served his full sentence, the National Parole Board refusing to grant him parole because of the danger or risk that he presented to the community."

Canadian triathlete ordered to serve house arrest for beating of now ex-wife

By Darah Hansen, VANCOUVER SUN 10-08-09

A jail sentence would be “counterproductive” for a Salmon Arm man and renowned Canadian triathlete who bound and savagely beat his wife repeatedly with a five-pound dumbbell while she begged him for mercy, a provincial court judge has ruled.

Instead, David Reid Dawson was ordered to serve a one-year conditional sentence — including six months of house arrest — followed by two years of probation for his part in the November 2007 aggravated assault on Judith Dawson.

Dawson, 55, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was sentenced in June in Salmon Arm by Judge Edmond De Walle.

The couple had been married 15 years when Dawson, the former captain of the Canadian Triathlon Team, viciously attacked his wife, seemingly out of the blue.

According to the victim, she was punched in the face several times and struck in the face with a barbell.

At one point, she lost consciousness after Dawson began choking her and, when she came to, found that her hands had been tied behind her back.

Despite repeated pleadings to stop the assault, Judith Dawson said her husband continued the violence, first putting a pillow over her face, then picking her up and carrying her to the kitchen where he once again tried to choke her to a point where, she told the court, she feared for her life.

“I begged and begged him to stop hurting me,” Judith Dawson wrote in a victim-impact statement submitted prior to sentencing.

The assault ended when the victim managed to free her hands and escape to a neighbour’s house.

Police arrived to find a bloodied and bruised Judith Dawson laying on a couch.

In her statement to the court, Judith Dawson said she suffered a broken nose and that both eyes were blackened in the assault. Her head, meanwhile, “was split open from the hits from the dumbbell and required stitches, as did my nose and lip. My jaw was very sore and bruised and with my swollen lips, I could only take in liquids for five days.

“Six weeks later, my face was still bruised and disfigured and I suffered a lot of pain and discomfort physically,” she said.

The court learned that David Dawson was suffering from mental illness at the time of the attack, diagnosed by one doctor as agitated depression and narcissistic personality disorder and by another as a “mixed personality disorder characterized by an excessive preoccupation with detail.”

However, Dawson was ordered fit to stand trial.

Since the assault, Dawson has taken responsibility for the assault, expressing “profound remorse, which seems sincere,” according to a psychiatrist who interviewed him earlier this year.

“He appears to be committed to maintaining his current recovery,” the psychiatrist further noted.

In pronouncing sentence in the matter, Judge De Walle said Dawson’s continued success would be better served by imposing a lengthy order of supervision, rather than jail time.

Dawson was ordered to spend the first six months at his home, with permission to leave only to attend work, church, medical and court appointments, and to go to the gym. He must also abstain from alcohol and drugs and have no contact with the victim.

The couple has since divorced.

dahansen@vancouversun.com

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