Photo by Whitehorse Star
Marcellus Jacob
Offender will taste freedom this month
The man who brutally raped and tortured a woman in Whitehorse seven years ago will be set free on Boxing Day.
The man who brutally raped and tortured a woman in Whitehorse seven years ago will be set free on Boxing Day.
Marcellus Jacob was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to a violent sexual assault, committed in July 2001.
The 26-year-old Yukon man has been released twice already.
Both times, he has breached the strict conditions put on him by the National Parole Board. Each time, his release has been mandatory, after he has served two thirds of his sentence.
His current release comes with the strictest restrictions a parole board can enforce, Patrick Storey of the board's Pacific region office said today.
They include conditions that Jacob attend regular counselling, abstain from alcohol and drugs, not have any contact with his victim or his family, anyone under the age of 16, or any woman without first telling his parole officer; and he must live at a community corrections centre.
His conditions do not prohibit him from returning to the Yukon.
There is a community corrections centre in Whitehorse, but Storey said he doesn't think Jacob will return to the city where he committed the crime.
"I don't believe they are prepared to accept him, so I infer that he will not be in Whitehorse."
Storey could not say where Jacob is likely to end up living after his release.
The offender failed to obey the conditions imposed during each of his previous two releases.
Both times, he did not return to the halfway house, and associated with women without getting permission from his parole officer.
The most recent parole board found him to be at a high risk to reoffend.
The board members called attention to the fact he regularly lied and evaded his parole officer and during his first release, put himself in a place where he would be in contact with vulnerable aboriginal women.
Jacob was last released to a correctional centre in the Vancouver area.
If he breaches the conditions of his release again, it will first be up to Jacob's parole officer to determine the severity of the breach, Storey said, and he could be referred back to a parole board.
That board could send him back to prison, but only for two thirds of his remaining sentence, which would equal no more than a year.
Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar
In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.
Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.
Comments (6)
Up 0 Down 0
Disgusting on Dec 16, 2008 at 8:58 am
A man like this, a man capable of committing such horrid acts, deserves to suffer as much as his victim did. A LIFE time in prison would be justifiable...that's how long her memories of him will last. There's no doubt in my mind his victim can't go through a whole day without being reminded of his sickening face. I can't even look at this picture without being repulsed...I can't imagine how she must feel knowing he's being released in less than two weeks. My heart is with you. What a waste of space Mr. Jacob is on this earth. You're disgusting; anyone who thinks different needs to give their head a shake. A human being that can do something like this to another human being, is NOT a human being in my books.
Up 0 Down 0
Arn Anderson on Dec 15, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Ahhhhhhhhh, the smell of our refined liberal go light on criminals policy. Still feeling the after effects of 13 years of Chretein, whom demanded more leniant criminal convictions, appointed and stacked liberal judges. No wonder the system has no teeth, now all our cases will be precended from this time. Still somehow people in this nation object harsh penalties to criminals. This society has spun it around that the criminals are the victims. Face it, they rather have this clown on the street to promote fear in our lives and cry out to the govt for protection. I feel sorry for the next person who is going to feel his atrocities once he is out.
Up 0 Down 0
john Stanley on Dec 15, 2008 at 10:52 am
Knowing him for a number of years. he will be back in cusotody before you know it. I mean look it at past high risk offenders, within the week, the RCMP lock them up.
Up 0 Down 0
darkwolf on Dec 15, 2008 at 8:05 am
What really bugs me is this idiotic idea
that putting the severest restrictions on a parolee makes much difference, many are ignored or done in secret.
Its a lame system that puts us our loved ones at risk. Would be nice if we could hold the Parole/ Justice system responsible when these people re-offend,
and sue their well fed buts off.
Up 0 Down 0
Not Impressed on Dec 15, 2008 at 8:00 am
Isn't this the guy who found himself in trouble just this past summer by not returning to the halfway house by curfew? And was MIA for days? If he's already disobeyed his terms of release.. why is he being released again?
This doesn't make sense. I fear for any women who may encounter this monster in the future... best said by the Parole board.. he's a HIGH risk to re-offend.
For anyone to read my comment & try to justify this decision by saying he has the right to be free.. well, I think he should have lost all rights when he violently tortured & raped his victim.
What about her rights?
Up 0 Down 0
JE on Dec 15, 2008 at 6:17 am
WHAT A MONSTER!
Two thirds of his sentence are you freakin' kidding me???
Lock him up for good!
A person like this does not deserve to taste freedom... who will his next victim be??