Local

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

High-risk child-sex offender back in jail

By: Mike McIntyre

Posted: 08/11/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

A high-risk Winnipeg sex offender has admitted to repeatedly breaching conditions of his strict community release meant to protect the public.

Rolf Uwe Guenther, 47, pleaded guilty Friday to violating terms of the rare 10-year "long-term offender" designation placed on him. Specifically, Guenther was caught with marijuana in his system on several occasions.

He was arrested in March and has been in custody ever since. Provincial court Judge John Guy sentenced Guenther Friday to another 41/2 months behind bars, rejecting his lawyer's request for time already served in custody. On paper, it's a total nine-month sentence.

Guenther claims he resorted to drug use to deal with chronic migraines, anxiety and depression. He was caught breaching probation at least twice last year when probation officials elected not to pursue charges, court was told. But Guenther was finally arrested after he ignored repeated warnings to stop.

Guenther last made the news in 2007 when experts told a Winnipeg court he was likely to target more child victims unless he underwent a radical medical procedure to curb his urges. He was sentenced to two more years behind bars, in addition to the equivalent of 51/2 years of pretrial custody, for attacks on young boys in his Elmwood neighbourhood.

Guenther already had two prior sex-assault convictions and was on probation when he lured the victims, ages 8 to 12, into his home with the promise of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. He showed them images of child pornography to "groom" them before sexually assaulting them.

Guenther served his entire custodial sentence and was released from prison in 2009. Police and probation officials have been keeping close tabs on him under terms of the long-term probation order. He can be jailed indefinitely for any breach. He must stay away from children, continue counselling and treatment, and abstain from alcohol and drugs.

Crown attorney Cindy Sholdice said Friday there have been troubling red flags in recent years, including Guenther being caught looking at videos of young boys in bathing suits. Those images didn't meet the definition of child pornography or result in charges.

A doctor told court five years ago Guenther remained a significant risk to reoffend. He suggested chemical castration, which involves controlling sexual urges through medication. However, it is voluntary and can't be ordered by the courts.

www.mikeoncrime.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 11, 2012 B4

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Local

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.