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Rapist lands in town; no warning

Arborg residents fume after release

By: Gabrielle Giroday

19/03/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 13

JUST days after a violent rapist left prison, residents of Arborg are upset the convicted sex offender is living in their community with no warning from authorities.

John Dolphus Twins is now living on a farm with his wife near the approximately 1,000-resident Interlake community about 100 kilometres north of Winnipeg, confirmed a town official.

Twins served every day of his 14-year-and-seven-day jail sentence for a Calgary robbery in March 1993 in which he raped a female resident he encountered during a break-and-enter in a basement suite.

During the three-hour ordeal, Twins blindfolded the woman, bound her with tape and committed 15 violent sexual acts on the woman while using her camera to document the assaults as they happened.

He was jailed in March 1995.

Arborg Mayor Randy Sigurdson said he received a handful of calls from concerned citizens after Twins moved to the community to live with his wife.

"You know how it is in a small town."

Sigurdson said the community received no formal notification of Twins' release. The mayor spoke to the RCMP about the matter. "They just said he's free to live wherever he wants... he's a free man."

Irate Arborg residents also contacted the Free Press this week.

At Twins' most recent National Parole Board hearing in November 2008, board members said they had serious concerns about releasing Twins. Previous hearings noted Twins had "inappropriate sexual behaviours towards female (prison) staff" and exposed himself to women who worked as correctional officers in his prison.

"Your case management team reports significant concerns with your continued display of sexually inappropriate behaviour and interpersonal aggression," said the report addressed to Twins, who is in his late 40s.

"Your case management team reports that this, coupled with the severity of your offence, your extensive history of violence and your dismal release history, your risk remains unmanageable in the community on a conditional release."

The National Parole Board reports note Twins had a wife who lived on a farm in Manitoba. According to these same reports, the final day of Twins' sentence was last Saturday.

Gimli RCMP Staff Sgt. Del Allen confirmed his detachment received calls about Twins' relocation to the Arborg area, but said the issue is not one that involves the Mounties.

"We've had people from Arborg phoning our office and inquiring about this particular gentleman but obviously for confidentiality reasons, we can't release any material on him," said Allen.

"I can't really talk to you about him."

Twins applied for parole unsuccessfully in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

The 2007 parole board refusal notes Twins attended a prison chapel and programming. The same report notes Twins is at a "moderate-high risk for recidivism; this based partly on the fact that (Twins has) no interest in attending a halfway facility and (is) negative about any sort of supervision plan."

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 19, 2009 A3

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13 Commentscomment icon

Gawd... i read that he may be moving to winnipeg. Gee... Im so fed up with Canadian politicians not doing anything constructive and in a timely manner about these awful criminals. We are not safe at all. These idiots go free while i have to put bars on my windows. Something not right about that at all.

[edited] Everyone, residents and police alike, need to be watching out for this one. He doesn't appear to be rehabilitated at all.

I'm from a small town like this one and i also know a few people from Arborg. For one they don't know what this guy looks like so how could they keep an eye out for him . the town has the right to be upset that the ex con now lives in there town when it's very likely that he is going to reoffend

Despite the futile efforts of the government to register every gun in the country, the RCMP have to assume that every time they step foot onto someone's property, there is a possibility that there may be a loaded gun behind the door. Any intruder would need to be wary as well.

Does it really surprise you that much? Everyone tries to cover their tracks here. It isn't uncommon for rapists and murderes to walk the streets free here. Its sad.

You are so right Me.I agree with you.Why this has been allowed to happen is disgusting. I live in a small town and would be very upset if this happened here.I feel so sorry for Arborg people.

Better Arborg than Winnipeg I say. Good luck with this scum. Why not plaster his picture and details on every lightpost in the town? This way he can't pose as a utility person to gain entry to a residence. And when he pulls out his goods in public just shoot him.

Gloria, it says right in the article that this ex-con is at a "moderate-high risk for recidivism..." He had to serve out his full term having "applied for parole unsuccessfully in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008." The residents of Arborg have a right to be concerned about this man living in their community.

The guy did a serous crime and then some serious time, now he's a free man without conditions. Why do these people that post a comment talk like everybody that's done a crime is going to repeat that crime.

I feel for the people in Arborg and surrounding areas. Why should he be allowed to go free when he took away his victim's freedom? What he did to this woman was horrific and to think that he is now 'free' to do it again sends shivers up my spine. A message to the people of Arborg - be very much aware of the movements of this 'person' and keep a safe watch out for everybody!

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