Whitehorse Daily Star

Man designated dangerous offender for violent behaviour

A Yukon man with a history of violence against women has been designated a dangerous offender.

By Rhiannon Russell on July 11, 2014

A Yukon man with a history of violence against women has been designated a dangerous offender.

Kevin Grunerud, 37, will be subject to supervision for 10 years after he is released from jail for assault, unlawful confinement and disobeying a court order.

He was sentenced in May by territorial court Judge Peter Chisholm to 34 months, including time served. He has six months remaining on his sentence.

In his decision, Chisholm cited Grunerud’s pattern of persistent aggressive behaviour and the likelihood of him causing death or injury to or inflicting severe psychological damage on other people.

“As an adult, he has had a series of violent spousal relationships which resulted in his being convicted for serious offences and, in two cases, his receiving significant terms of incarceration,” Chisholm wrote in his decision.

“He has taken counselling and treatment for domestic violence, but, to date, he has not displayed any changed behaviour.”

Chisholm prohibited Grunerud from possessing weapons.

To Corrections Canada and the Parole Board, he recommended that Grunerud serve the remainder of his sentence at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre, that a no-contact order with the victims be imposed, that he not be allowed to use the Internet, except for employment or education, and that he be barred from using online dating sites.

A psychiatric assessment quoted in the decision states that, in order to succeed, Grunerud must never consume alcohol again and not enter into any intimate, live-in relationships.

He has a history of violent, abusive relationships with women.

In 2007, Grunerud broke down his then-partner’s door with a sledgehammer and threatened her with a knife. He was arrested and later released.

Later that year, he forced his way into her house and began punching and kicking her as her son sobbed. She fled with her child but Grunerud followed in his truck and smashed into her vehicle several times.

He was sentenced to 45 months in federal prison, with credit for time served,.

In 2011, when he was on parole, he was arrested after a fight with his then-girlfriend, during which he refused to allow her to leave the house and threw a frozen beer can at her head, causing a cut and swelling.

Later that year, he breached a court order when he repeatedly tried to contact her.

For those offences, he was sentenced to two years less a day.

Court heard in 2012 that all of Grunerud’s offences occurred when he had been drinking.

The dangerous-offender designation is intended to “protect all Canadians from the most dangerous and violent sexual predators in the country,” according to the Department of Public Safety website.

“Individuals convicted of these offences can be designated as a dangerous offender during sentencing if a sentencing court is satisfied that the offender constitutes a threat to the life, safety or physical or mental well-being of the public,” the site states.

When this designation is imposed, the court may sentence the offender to life imprisonment.

The long-term offender designation, on the other hand, is primarily for sexual offenders or people who commit a “serious personal injury offence” and who are likely to reoffend, but less so than dangerous offenders.

These offenders must be given at least a two-year sentence followed by supervision for a maximum of 10 years.

Comments (7)

Up 5 Down 1

Anonymous on Jul 18, 2014 at 6:41 pm

I have known Kevin for many many years and I take offense to one of the above comments "After all it must just be from his cultural upbringing ". He came from a loving home and a wonderful mother. What he turned out to be has nothing to do with her. He has lost his family and friends because of his selfish acts. He is now on his own and I will never accept him in to my life again. I agree on the sentence whole heartedly. Drinking was always his weak point and he will breach his probation sooner or later when he's out. Honestly I think when he does get out and he lands back in jail Whitehorse Correctional is not the place to send him to me that is still freedom. Send him to prison with the Big boys. I just wanted to point that out.

Up 6 Down 1

Bob on Jul 13, 2014 at 9:47 am

Google his name and there are pictures of him

Up 10 Down 17

Just Say'in on Jul 12, 2014 at 10:11 pm

Why don't we just get him to meet with the elders again and have another circle sentence. After all it must just be from his cultural upbringing. It can't be his fault, after all.

Up 4 Down 1

l on Jul 12, 2014 at 7:35 pm

a google image search turns up a picture of this man, it's the first image in the search.

Up 23 Down 1

Evelyn Theriault on Jul 11, 2014 at 8:26 pm

I don't understand why a photo isn't posted of this dangerous offender. If we are being warned of a dangerous offender, should we not know what he looks like?

Up 19 Down 3

June Jackson on Jul 11, 2014 at 6:02 pm

If a person is designated as a "dangerous offender".. why are we letting that person loose on the streets again? I realize that in Canada..Law and Justice have never been introduced but putting a person on the streets that is so dangerous the community has to be warned about him, will be cold comfort to the next woman on his agenda.

Oh..I'm really glad though that the justice system has asked him to be a good boy and not drink.

Up 28 Down 1

m on Jul 11, 2014 at 5:03 pm

So. Ya mind giving us a picture of this violent offender? It might help if women knew who they were dealing with.

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