(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS – Despite more than 100 criminal convictions and a history of violence, a man well known around the Kamloops courthouse narrowly escaped a dangerous designation but he has earned a less serious long-term offender label.

Kamloops Supreme Court Justice Kathleen Ker made the decision for Shane Jeurissen, 44, after handing him a seven-year jail sentence for his most recent charges on two separate court files including assault with a weapon and attempting to obstruct justice.

A dangerous offender label is reserved for Canada's most serious and dangerous criminals with a high risk to re-offend violently or sexually. It includes an indefinite jail sentence. A long-term offender label means the convicted, once released, will be monitored by a parole officer for a period up to ten years.

“If he is designated a dangerous offender and receives an indeterminate sentence, he will likely be deprived of his liberty for many years into the future,” said Ker before delivering her decision.

The key case in Jeurissen’s hearing stemmed from an incident in May 2012 when he left the home he shared with his common-law wife to buy alcohol. When he returned to the trailer, Jeurissen punched her, put his knee into her back and pointed a knife to her throat. He told her she would die. While this occurred, the woman was on the phone with her friend who reported what she heard to the RCMP.

When delivering evidence, Jeurissen’s girlfriend said she was not afraid of him after the offense. Ker believed the woman was downplaying the event and did not accept her evidence.

Ker noted Jeurissen’s frequent angry outbursts in the courtroom, which at one point forced him to participate via video conference. During the hearing, Jeurissen threw a chair at the television set and unplugged several cables. Eventually Jeurissen faxed a note to the courthouse saying he no longer wanted to participate in his hearing.
In her reasons for judgement, Ker emphasized Jeurissen’s long list of convictions, 12 of which involved violence, six instances of uttering threats and 37 times when he failed to abide by court orders.

Ker made mention of his continuous letter-writing from jail to various agencies including the crown office and various RCMP officers. Eighty-seven letters were sent to Crown lawyers alone. In his writings, Jeurissen penned angry rants and taunted several officers. Ker said the letters with the most offensive content were sent to female police officers.

“To say Mr. Jeurissen is a prolific letter-writer is an understatement,” said Ker.

Through a psychological report, Dr. Hugues Hervé determined Jeurissen likely suffers from a personality disorder and concluded he has not received appropriate treatments during his time in provincial jail.

Jeurissen will remain in custody for 41 months. Following his release will be under supervision for a ten-year period.

To contact a reporter for this story, email gbrothen@infotelnews.ca, or call 250-319-7494. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

News from © iNFOnews, 2014