Repeat sex offender released, then arrested again in Kelowna, B.C.

British Columbia’s public safety minister says he is ordering an investigation into why a repeat sexual offender was released in Kelowna without the public being notified. Taylor Dueck was later arrested on allegations he sexually assaulted a youth at an equestrian school in the Okanagan city.

The 29-year-old was arrested on Feb. 9 and is facing charges of sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching and breach of probation.

Dueck has a history of sexual offences and has been the subject of past public warnings.

In February 2020 he was released from prison and RCMP notified the public he was living in Mission, B.C.

Police said at the time that Dueck had a criminal history of sexual assault, including sexual assault on a person under the age of 16 and sexual assault using a weapon.

Mission RCMP issued the public interest warning under the Privacy Act of Canada as he had been deemed a high risk to re-offend sexually. Police said at the time that he posed a risk to the safety of female children under the age of 18 years old.

A similar warning was not issued prior to his more recent release in Kelowna.

Speaking in Victoria on Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said he was “very angry over what has happened” and is looking for a full accounting of what took place.

“I want to get to the bottom of this because, quite frankly, this should not have happened and I want to make sure that it never happens again,” Farnworth said.

Kevin Falcon, leader of the Opposition B.C. United, also expressed outrage on Thursday, placing blame on the NDP government.

“This government neglected to notify the community that there was a dangerous pedophile like this in their presence,” Falcon said.

“As a parent of an 11-year-old myself, to see a young girl like that victimized by a pedophile like this sickens me.”

In a statement, RCMP said they sought a public disclosure order prior to Dueck’s release in Kelowna, but “the threshold was not met in this case based on the totality of the circumstances,” and referred further questions to B.C. Corrections.

Dueck remains in custody, RCMP say, and a bail hearing is scheduled for March 5.