Warning: Extremely graphic content
A Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench judge will decide whether a man convicted of nearly 100 child pornography-related offences will be designated a long-term offender.
Shane Dale Pattison, 28, was handed a five-year sentence in 2012 after pleading guilty to 53 child pornography-related charges. The sentence was one of the longest handed down in Saskatchewan for similar offences.
Pattison was caught viewing child porn at a halfway house in 2015, almost immediately after he left prison on legislated statutory release. Last June, he pleaded guilty to 41 counts of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing it. None of Pattison’s convictions include hands-on offending.
Crown prosecutor Lana Morelli and defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle have filed a joint submission arguing that Pattison be deemed a long-term offender. They are asking Pattison be sentenced to seven years in prison, followed, upon his release, by a 10-year supervision order, which is the maximum length for a long-term offender.
In order for Justice Richard Danyliuk to designate Pattison a long-term offender, lawyers must prove that Pattison fits the criteria of a long-term offender: that a prison sentence of two years or more would be appropriate for the offences, that there’s substantial risk of reoffending that will cause harm, and that the risks posed can eventually be controlled in the community.
Dr. Tarah Hook, a psychologist who interviewed Pattison and prepared a psychologist report for the courts, said his general risk of reoffending is high, but believes there’s a chance Pattison could stop offending with the right treatment and if he’s carefully monitored in the community.
Court heard Pattison has received little sexual offender treatment while incarcerated and in the community. He was denied participating in a program at the Regional Psychiatric Centre because his risk to reoffend was deemed too low and exposure to offenders who were “highly deviant and sexualized” would put Pattison at risk, according to the report.
Pattison sought out therapy and discussed some of his offences prior to being incarcerated the second time and took part in group therapy after his statutory release in 2015. However, at times, he was still viewing child porn, Hook said.
Hook testified Pattison can’t control his sexual urges, which includes interests involving female babies, toddlers, pregnant women and objects representing babies like diapers and soothers.
“(Pattison) seemed to enjoy discussing his various (sexual) interests. He was quite passionate about it,” Hook said.
She testified Pattison told her he had sexual exposure at a very early age including sexual playing at the age of three and having intercourse with an eight-year-old girl when he was 14.
She also said he is satisfying his sexual desires while in prison by swapping stories with other inmates.
Hook said Pattison told her, “(I’m) trying not to think about kids these days but it’s hard because I get aroused by the stories other people tell me.”
Pattison maintains he would never hurt a child but does fantasize about “coming across a child who is very sexualized,” which means a child who has been groomed by an offender and does not appear to be upset when being sexually abused, according to the report.
Hook said Pattison told her he’s motivated to change and wants treatment but said he must be truthful and stop deviant behavior.
“He can talk the talk,” Hook said.
The long-term offender hearing is scheduled to last until Thursday at Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench.
