Saskatoon judge calls lack of treatment for convicted child pornographer Shane Pattison 'incomprehensible'

A Queen's Bench judge in Saskatoon says he's alarmed by how the Correctional Service of Canada handled child pornographer Shane Pattison in prison. Justice Richard Danyliuk says he doesn't want a "do-over" when Pattison is sent back.

'I'm alarmed by CSC's past handling of this': Justice Richard Danyliuk

Dan Zakreski · CBC News ·
Shane Pattison will learn his fate Thursday. (CBC)

A Queen's Bench judge in Saskatoon says he is going to send a blunt message to the Correctional Service of Canada.

Justice Richard Danyliuk is set to sentence Shane Dale Pattison on 42 child pornography charges on Thursday. Danyliuk said Wednesday that he finds it "incomprehensible" that Pattison did not get any treatment in prison when he served a five-year sentence for earlier offences.

"I'm alarmed by CSC's past handling of this," he said in court.

Danyliuk said he does not want a "do-over" of what happened earlier when he sends Pattison back to prison.

Pattison is the subject of a long-term offender hearing underway at Court of Queen's Bench. The Crown and defence are jointly recommending that Pattison be given a seven-year determinate sentence, followed by a 10-year supervision order that would impose strict conditions on his release.

    A key part of the hearing this week was a psychological report prepared by forensic psychologist Tarah Hook. She wrote that the main consideration is whether Pattison's risk to re-offend can be lessened by treatment.

    Hook wrote that Pattison did not get treatment when he served his sentence for the 53 offences that he pleaded guilty to in 2012.

    "Mr. Pattison was not offered standardized correctional treatment due to his perceived low level of risk," she wrote.

    "He began treatment after his release but was actively offending at the time."

    The police investigation revealed that Pattison began offending again 25 days after his release.

    Prosecutor Lana Morelli and defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle both agreed that treatment inside and outside prison are critical to managing Pattison in the future.

    "The best way to protect society is to rehabilitate the offender," Morelli said.

    About the Author

    Dan Zakreski

    Dan Zakreski is a reporter for CBC Saskatoon.