Parole denied to violent offender

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This article was published 17/09/2021 (1232 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A dangerous offender who told police he had been violent toward more than 100 sex-trade workers doesn’t believe he has a problem with women.

Douglas Bowman, a 57-year-old Winnipeg man convicted in 2017 of viciously sexually assaulting two women at knifepoint in 2010 and 2013, was denied parole on Sept. 2.

The Parole Board of Canada decision, obtained by the Free Press, provides insight into his mindset.

In 2018, he was sentenced to eight years in prison, plus a 10-year long-term supervision order. He was also designated a dangerous offender and ordered to provide a DNA sample.

Federal offenders are eligible for full parole after serving one-third of their sentence, or seven years, whichever is less.

Bowman’s risk of reoffending was considered high. He was placed on the sex-offender registry and prohibited from owning weapons for life.

“You said that your common-law (wife) has told you that since your mother passed away, you ‘hate women’ and get angry, but you do not see this,” the parole board decision reads.

“You were unable to give the board any examples of how a woman could be harmed by abusive or assaultive behaviour.”

Bowman, whose record includes sexual offences dating back to the 1970s, was diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder and shows psychopathic traits, said one of two forensic psychiatrists who assessed him and reported their findings to the court. Both psychiatrists said Bowman is likely a “sexual sadist” who gets pleasure when people suffer.

Bowman denied culpability for his crimes to the parole board. The decision notes he has refused to participate in treatment programs.

“(You) will claim you are innocent ‘until the day I die,’” the decision states.

“You deny sexually assaulting any of your victims. You believe the victims ‘are just mistaken,’ and misidentified you in a police lineup and misidentified the type of vehicle involved.”

Bowman claimed he doesn’t believe he had a fair trial, but decided not to file an appeal because he didn’t want to put his common-law wife through another legal proceeding.

He told the board the only reason he was seeking full parole was because of his common-law partner, and was otherwise ready to serve out his sentence until 2026.

Bowman said if he were to be released on parole he wouldn’t leave the house unless he had to, as he would feel safer that way.

“You do not care about your own safety and have been ready to die since your early 30s,” the decision states. “You anticipate you could get into fights when in the community due to the notoriety of your offence.”

The parole decision states the last time Bowman was “aggressive” was about a year ago, when he and other inmates were locked in their cells.

“You sat on the end of your bed and cursed the correctional officers. You admit, that at times, you have gotten angry to the point you thought about stabbing someone,” the parole decision states.

“You have not had those kinds of thoughts since you were put on a different medication. You believe the new pills are working ‘surprisingly well,’ and you take them regularly. If you were to stop taking them, you would become angry more easily and could become violent.”

Bowman said he didn’t know there was a medication that could help him so much. He noticed when he feels the drug isn’t working, he gets mad at “the littlest thing.”

In 2019, Winnipeg police charged Bowman in a sexual assault case from May 2007. Biological material from the attacker was sent to the RCMP forensic lab, and a DNA profile was identified. Twelve years later, Bowman’s DNA sample was submitted and a match was found. The case remains before the court.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca