‘He’s at it again’
Author: BRIAN CALLAHAN
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Convicted pedophile returned to halfway house near St. John’s elementary school
A convicted child molester has been sent back to a downtown St. John’s halfway house even though the National Parole Board says he’s a “substantial risk” to reoffend.

A parole warrant was issued for Joseph Frederick McGrath of St. John’s last month after a home-care worker found child pornography sites on his computer. It was the fifth time he had broken conditions of his parole since he was released from prison and placed on long-term supervision five years ago, on April 9, 2003.

McGrath, 33, had served his full prison sentence — three years, eight months — for sexually assaulting two young girls over a six-year period in the mid-1990s.

The parole board will not reveal where McGrath is living. But the mother of one of McGrath’s victims says she’s learned it’s near Rawlins Cross — a stone’s throw from a popular ice cream store and elementary school.

“We’ve been saying since he was convicted that they should just keep him locked up somewhere and throw away the key,” says the woman, whose daughter was sexually abused “to the extreme” by McGrath from the age of three until she was nine. “We always said he couldn’t be cured. It doesn’t happen. All the programs and counselling haven’t done a thing. And now he’s at it again.”

The RNC does not identify suspects or those accused of a crime until or unless the person is charged and makes a first court appearance.

“But I can tell you that our child sexual abuse unit is currently involved in an active related investigation,” RNC spokesman Const. Paul Davis tells The Independent.

Despite numerous setbacks, and a diagnosis of mental illness associated with “inappropriate sexual fantasies” related to his sexual abuse convictions, McGrath had been given more and more freedom since his release from jail.

“You have responded favourably (to programs) and it is now the consensus of all professionals involved in your case that your risk to reoffend has been reduced significantly and that efforts should now be underway toward a gradual reintegration back into the community,” the parole board stated in April 2006.

It went on to say there was no evidence McGrath had “resumed his offence cycle or engaged in behaviour that would call his credibility into question.”

“On the basis of its analysis, the board believes you no longer present a substantial risk.”

With that, McGrath’s long-term supervision order was lifted and he was allowed to choose a place to live with no curfews and few conditions.

But once the child pornography was found in late February or early March, he was picked up and held at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary while Corrections Canada made its recommendation to the National Parole Board.

In its April 2 decision, the board decided to end much of the freedom he enjoyed, but still returned him to a downtown community corrections facility for six months, citing his “substantial risk to the community.”

“Given your sexual offending with young females in the past, for which you were convicted, it is apparent to the board that your risk in the community has escalated,” the board states.

“While you have not yet been charged with any new offences, your case management team is of the opinion that the likelihood of new charges is high. Your behaviour demonstrates to the board that you have regressed into high-risk activities that are reminiscent of your offence cycle of a sexual nature.”

For his part, McGrath denied having anything to do with the child porn sites — denials that were rejected by the board.

“Your behaviour has deteriorated to such an extent that concern is warranted and impositions are necessary,” the parole board decision states.

“It will be much more structured for him now than before,” a parole board spokeswoman tells The Independent. “He will be supervised regularly, he’ll have a curfew, and must report to his parole officer regularly.”

McGrath is also forbidden to own or operate a computer, or have access to the Internet in any form.

“Because your offence cycle is triggered by inappropriate sexual fantasies, a computer is seen as a high-risk tool to have in your possession, or for you to be the user of,” the parole board stated.

The victim’s mother is shocked that McGrath is still living in the community.

“What does is take for people to understand that this person is a serious danger? He should be in jail, locked up, not living back in the neighbourhood near a children’s school.

“There’s no curing him. And how do they know he hasn’t done more since he’s been out? This is only what they caught him doing. Maybe his picture should be out there. He’s been out in the malls, around schools. It would be really scary to know how many people have come in contact with him.”

brian.callahan@theindependent.ca

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