'Lock me up for the rest of my life,' Ontario's top court grants Peterborough dangerous offender's wish

EDITOR’S NOTE: Some content material on this article could also be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is suggested.

Harmful offender Thomas Straub will stay locked up behind bars till he can show he’s rehabilitated and might reintegrate into society with out posing a danger to the general public.

On Monday, Jan. 24, the Ontario Courtroom of Enchantment launched a call that resulted in a stiffer sentence for the Peterborough native.

Straub, declared a harmful offender by the courtroom in 2020, initially acquired a composite sentence; imprisonment for a time period of 5 years, to be adopted by a long-term supervision order for an additional 10 years, from Justice Robert Beninger.

Nonetheless, the prosecution felt the decide’s sentence was too lenient and didn’t do sufficient to guard the general public.

Ontario’s prime courtroom agreed, put aside the composite sentence, and imposed a sentence of detention in a penitentiary for an indeterminate interval.

“The file, as a complete, doesn't present evidentiary assist for a conclusion that there's a cheap expectation that a lesser measure than an indeterminate sentence will adequately defend the general public towards the respondent’s (Straub) violent recidivism,” the choice reads.

An indeterminate sentence requires Straub to take rehabilitation measures for an opportunity at parole after seven years and/or each two years after that. The unique sentence handed down by Beninger allowed Straub to serve his sentence and be launched on the finish, whether or not he had or hadn’t taken rehabilitation steps.

“The respondent (Straub) has a critical persona dysfunction, in addition to a substance use dysfunction that enhances his danger of recidivistic violence. Character issues are notoriously remedy resistant and the respondent has demonstrated no actual perception into the necessity for any sort of remedy,” the choice reads.

Straub’s harmful offender designation got here after he pleaded responsible to 2 counts of theft, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and breach of probation.

Based on Peterborough police, Straub attacked a lady ready for a bus on George Avenue in November 2016. Police reported that Straub dragged the lady into a close-by constructing earlier than two males intervened. On the time, Straub lunged at one of many males with an eight-inch butcher knife, police mentioned.

Throughout sentencing submissions in 2019, assistant Crown lawyer Lisa Wannamaker outlined Straub’s lengthy prison previous, together with 90 convictions, 29 of which included violence or threats of violence. Wannamaker famous that the majority the his crimes had been towards ladies, together with two sexual assaults. Wannamaker additionally highlighted Straub’s previous troubles, together with 4 police chases and masturbating in entrance of his caseworker.

Whereas in custody, dealing with the potential of a harmful offender designation, Wannamaker informed the courtroom Straub continued to be a nuisance. Straub set a hearth in his jail cell and in addition wrote regarding letters containing threats of violence and sexual assault. In a letter written to a fellow prison affiliate, Straub spoke of capturing police when he was launched, courtroom heard.

Straub additionally wrote a letter to his former counsel, telling her that when he obtained out that he would break into her home, stab her and sexually assault her.

“After I know you’re virtually lifeless, I’ll untie you and flip you over. I'm going to rape you,” Straub wrote in a letter that was entered as proof.

After submissions closed on the damaging offender listening to, Straub wrote one other letter from jail.

“Please lock me up for the remainder of my life,” Straub wrote to finish the two-page handwritten letter.

The confession letter was for the prosecutor. Wannamaker reopened sentencing and Beninger thought-about the letter in his choice.

Within the letter, the creator refers to himself as “Lord Strauby.” The letter disturbingly describes sexual assault, assault deviances and descriptions how his sexual perversion began on the age of eight.

“I've been trying (by means of) home windows peeping and creeping at ladies,” Straub wrote.

“I might at all times do it late at evening and I’d be hidden at midnight.”