‘No indication that he has mellowed with age’: report on high-risk offender

He forced a friend’s daughter and her partner to smoke crack cocaine and perform sex acts after assaulting them for no reason.

Gamon Jay Leacock – the high-risk offender Halifax Regional Police warned the public about last month – threatened to kill the couple, sexually assaulted them, stole their bank cards and made his friend’s daughter hand over her PIN code.

“You tied up the male, repeatedly sexually assaulted Halifax Regional Police warned the public last month about the release of Gamon Jay Leacock, 49, a high-risk offender who was staying in the Halifax area after serving his 14-year sentence. HALIFAX REGIONAL POLICE the female and you also used an object to sexually assault her. You then grabbed the male victim by his penis and attempted to make the male victim sexually assault the female victim,” said Leacock’s most recent parole board decision that kept him behind bars in November of 2021.

‘TEN VICTIMS IN BARELY 2 DAYS’

It was August of 2009 and Leacock was in the middle of carrying out a series of armed robberies in various stores that netted him 14 years in prison.

“The case management team notes that during this crime spree, you created no fewer than 10 victims in barely two days,” said his most recent parole decision.

Leacock, 49, got out of prison and moved to Halifax after completing a sentence for nine counts of robbery, and two counts each of sexual assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and administering a noxious substance. His 14-year sentence also covered a slew of crimes including six convictions for uttering threats, criminal harassment, escaping lawful custody, a couple of assaults,

“Your behaviour has continued to deteriorate since your last review, and there is no information suggesting that there has been any reduction in your risk. The board has determined that you are likely, if released, to commit an offence causing serious harm to another person before the expiration of the sentence.”

assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, failing to stop at a motor vehicle accident, and intimidating a justice participant.

‘FLAGRANT AGGRESSIVENESS’

Leacock has “a lengthy history of violence” that “crystalized” at a young age, according to his most recent parole decision, which notes he’s been convicted of 63 offences since he was 18.

When the parole board decided in late 2021 to keep Leacock behind bars, he was serving his third federal sentence.

According to Correctional Service Canada, Leacock’s “offences demonstrate a ‘potential for flagrant aggressiveness,’” said the parole board.

“In a number your offences, you threatened your victims verbally and/or with weapons and that you have used both physical and psychological brutality. You have shown lasting difficulties controlling your violent and sexual impulses. (Correctional Service Canada) states that on three occasions, you attacked women you knew, going to their homes, forcibly confining and assaulting them, thereby abusing their trust and vulnerability. You inflicted physical injuries on at least three people.”

‘INCREASED IN SEVERITY OVER TIME’

Leacock’s case management team concluded that he uses violence, both physical and psychological, to meet his needs.

“They also state that your offending has increased in severity over time,” said the parole board.

“Your file reveals that whether or not you were intoxicated, when you have a sexual or emotional impulse, you do everything possible to get what you want. You do not hesitate to use violence, or any kind of weapon available to you. Your (case management team) assess that your use of weapons is recurring and frequent and is used to terrify and immobilize your victims.”

‘EXTENDED LIST OF INCOMPATIBLES’

Leacock was disruptive behind bars, said the parole board.

“Your disciplinary file contains incidents related to substance use, debts, inappropriate behaviour around some female staff members, threats against staff members and physical violence towards other inmates.”

Between 2010 and 2018, Leacock was involved in fights and assaults with other inmates, said the parole board.

“You have also been intimidating and threatening towards officers, not to mention masturbating in front of one and other disciplinary problems. (One) incident in particular left another inmate with serious injuries. You have an extended list of incompatibles.”

The maximum-security prisoner wasn’t engaged in his correctional plan, said his parole decision.

‘UNWILLING TO BE TREATED’

Leacock denied being involved in the sexual assaults and refused to address the problem.

He was suspended from a substance abuse program in January 2015.

“You disrupted the group, challenged the program concepts and appeared frustrated and confused by the material and assignments.”

Leacock refused on several occasions to participate in interviews with psychologists or psychiatrists, said the parole board.

“According to a psychiatrist, you are essentially untreated and unwilling to be treated.”

Leacock’s “risk of violent and sexually violent recidivism has been increasing throughout the decades and is currently considered particularly high,” according to his August 2018 psychological risk assessment.

‘UNDUE RISK TO THE COMMUNITY’

“The psychologist also observed that you made no apparent efforts to address your risk factors, and your behaviour remained insubordinate and aggressive,” said the parole board.

“Although the assessment on file is limited, the psychologist appeared to agree with other assessments that concluded you present with antisocial personality disorder. The report stated that your release would pose an undue risk to the community.”

In 2019, Leacock racked up nine institutional offences behind bars (five of them serious), and three more incidents where he was identified as an instigator, said his psychological assessment from September of that year.

“There is no indication that he has mellowed with age as some offenders do; and we might usefully even take note of the bizarre nature of his 2009 sexual assault (which he continues to deny) with its components of absolute domination and humiliation of both victims,” said the assessment.

It stressed “there is an unacceptably high risk that your re-offending would cause serious physical harm... The psychologist concluded that there is simply no reason to suggest that you are likely to become gentler in your reoffending.”

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM

A police emergency response team was employed on Nov. 6, 2021, to involuntarily transfer Leacock to a maximum-security prison.

“You were involved in a serious incident that involved destruction of your cell, possession of an improvised weapon, and threats to kill correctional officers,” said the parole board.

Leacock was stabbed in the neck and slashed across the face during a prison assault in September of 2019, it said.

“On November 16, 2020, you sucker punched another inmate with weightlifting gloves during a fight.”

‘1 DOWN, 11 TO GO’

Leacock pulled out a shank and guards pepper sprayed him to stop the attack, said the parole board.

He told guards the unit he was living on was not compatible with a dozen prisoners in the adjoining unit.

“As you were being escorted back to your cell, you yelled down the lower range, ‘1 down, 11 to go.’”

In November of 2021, Leacock told the parole board he was “ready to participate in a one chance statutory release.”

‘CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE’

But it turned him down.

“Your behaviour has continued to deteriorate since your last review, and there is no information suggesting that there has been any reduction in your risk. The board has determined that you are likely, if released, to commit an offence causing serious harm to another person before the expiration of the sentence.”

While police warned the public last month that Leacock had moved to Halifax, they wouldn’t say Friday whether he’s still here.

“The high-risk offender protocol allows for us to initially make the public aware for public safety, but we are unable to provide further details,” Const. John Mcleod, who speaks for force, said in an email.